Skip to content

East Midlands Energy Efficiency

Hints & Tips at Home

We all want to do our bit.  Safety, sustainability and energy efficiency are important to us all.  Sometimes it’s the little things that can make a big difference, particularly when we act collectively.  Here are some top tips to help at home.

Goto page: 1 2 3 4 5

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!

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

Properly used, dishwashers use less water and energy than washing dishes by hand. However, make sure you only wash full loads and don’t pre-rinse everything in the sink first unless it really needs it.

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.

When was the last time you switched energy supplier. Regularly changing to the right tariff can save you money by reducing your energy costs. If you rent a property and pay the energy bills yourself the law says you should be able to choose your own energy supplier.

Spending one minute less in the shower each day will save up to £8 a year off your energy bills, per person. With a water meter this could save a further £11 off annual water and sewerage bills. If everyone in a four-person household did this it would lead to a total saving of £75 a year.

Fill a jug with tap water and leave it to cool in your fridge. You’ll save water by not having to run the tap for ages to get a cold drink.

Check the programmer on your heating and hot water to make sure the timings match your needs. If you don’t have a seven-day programmer fitted consider getting one.

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

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!

Goto page: 1 2 3 4 5