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Energy saving tips at home
Tips for saving energy
Tips for saving water

Top tips for saving energy in the home

Buy carefully

When you need to replace an appliance keep an eye out for the Energy Saving Recommended logo or check its EU energy rating.

 The blue energy saving recommended triangle awarded to household appliances that achieve a good level of efficiency.
Switch off appliances, don't leave them on standby

Electrical equipment such as microwaves, TVs, stereos and computers all use a surprising amount of energy whilst on standby. For example, 85% of the energy used by a DVD player is wasted when it is on standby.

Unplug chargers from the wall

Even when they are not charging anything, they still use energy, a mobile phone charger could waste £10 a year.

Leaving items on charge all the time can also adversely affect the battery life, meaning you have to replace them more often.

Wash laundry loads on the low-temperature programme

Modern detergents are designed to be as effective at <40 degrees as they are at 60 degrees. While you are at it why not consider an environmentally friendly detergent, such as Ecover?

Use low energy lighting

As your bulbs blow, replace them with low energy versions. A 20 watt low energy bulb puts out as much light as a 100 watt standard bulb and the low energy one lasts up to 10 times as long!

From time to time we and other local organisations are able to offer a number low energy light bulbs for free!
A low energy light bulb

Invest in some energy saving measures

Double glazing, loft and cavity wall insulation and draft excluders all have a huge effect on the amount of heat lost from your house. Double glazing alone could halve the amount of heat lost through your windows!

Take a home energy check (external website)

Do an energy check for your home and see how much you could save by taking the recommended courses of action. The Energy Saving Trust have a quick and simple on-line energy check. Simply click the title above or call their free telephone number: 0800 512012.

Recycle as much of your waste as possible

Recycling saves energy. The amount of energy required to make a new glass bottle is much greater than the amount used in recycling a used glass bottle back into a new one. So by recycling your not only reducing landfill and the associated climate changing effects, but you are also saving energy and the carbon emissions that come with it. Click the title to find out more.

Switch on to Green Electricity

Most electricity suppliers are now offering green tariffs. Sometimes this means that some of your bill goes towards investing in new renewable technologies, other times this actually means you are getting electricity from renewable sources.

Phone your supplier and ask what they offer or change to a supplier like Ecotricity (external website) who operate their own wind turbines.

Check out our links page for information on organisations which can help you save energy.

Top tips for saving Water in the home

Adopt a 'Hippo'

Older toilets use a massive 9 litres of drinking water every time you flush. By placing a Hippo or save-a-flush bag in the cistern you can save around a litre per flush.

Install dual flush toilets

If replacing your toilet, a modern dual flush toilet gives you the option of a small flush and a full flush, depending on the circumstances!

Turn off the taps while cleaning your teeth

Leaving the tap running while you clean your teeth can waste a lot of water, the equivalent of a bath full of water in a household of four.

Take showers

A bath uses on average 80 litres of water, while showers use around 30. So save energy and water by opting for a shower rather than a soak.

Get a water meter fitted

By getting a water meter fitted you can see how much water you actually use on a daily basis, this encourages most people to conserve water and use it much more efficiently. And when you save water with a water meter, you save money!

Get a waterbutt, or two

It is predicted that hosepipe bans will be a regular feature of our summers, so why not invest in a waterbutt to store the rainwater from your roof? What you use the water for is up to you, whether in the garden or washing the car.

Fill up the dishwasher and washing machine
 A 170 litre garden waterbutt

Running dishwashers and washing machines when they are not full wastes a lot of water and energy. Cutting out one wash a week would save you over 5000 litres of water a year!

Check out the Three Valleys Water (external website) or Thames Water (external website) websites for more information about water efficiency.