Carbon monoxide is a silent killer. Every year in the UK it kills around 50 people and sends 4000 to A&E for emergency treatment. Make sure you get all your combustion appliances properly serviced and fit an alarm. Good quality alarms are available from most DIY suppliers and take minutes to fit. It could save your life!

Washing a small load of clothes? Check you washing machine’s settings to see if you can use the “half load” programme to save water and energy.

Thermal or heavy blinds and curtains can help trap heat and reduce draughts. Close them at night to reduce heating bills.

When cooking you can often use the residual heat to to save energy if you switch your cooker off just before you finish cooking. However, you still need to make sure that your food is properly cooked through.

Make sure your radiators are clear so they can heat the space efficiently. Curtains or furniture can easily block them.

Save energy with your washing machine. Modern washing powders often let you achieve the same results with lower temperatures.

Switch off radiators in any rooms you are not using regularly and keep internal doors shut to save energy.

When did you last test your carbon monoxide alarm? Make sure it works when you need it by testing it weekly. #TestItTuesday

Using lids on your pans when cooking will save energy and help heat the contents quicker.

Fit a water butt to collect rainwater. Your roof collects about 85,000 litres of rain each year (around 450 butts full). That’s water you can use for your plants and to wash the car, and it’s free!