Black Country Rubbish Challenge

Energy Saving

Saving Energy in the home need not be difficult or expensive and this section will provide you with lots of tips to reduce the energy that you use and save you money too.

Nearly 50% of heat loss in a typical home is through the walls and loft. Filling in the cavity in your walls or insulating your loft are easy and effective ways of reducing the energy you use and keeping your home warmer: this could save you hundreds of pounds on your heating bills. Reasonably priced loft insulation products can be purchased at your local DIY store. In some circumstances you can obtain a grant to help: check out the link below for further details.
http://www.est.org.uk/myhome/insulation/

Draught-proofing is another easy and cost-effective way to reduce heating bills. You can stop heat escaping through floorboards and skirting boards by filling gaps with newspaper, beading or sealant! Double Glazing is a good way to draught-proof your windows. However, a low cost, short-term alternative is to tape polythene across your window frames.
 
Did you know that turning your thermostat down by 1°C could cut your heating bills by up to 10%? Keeping that dial on a low setting is enough to protect your home from freezing at minimum cost while you are away. This could save you around £30 per year. Is your water too hot? It doesn't need to be scalding. For most people, setting the thermostat at 60°C/140°F is fine for bathing and washing, try this temperature and see what a difference it can make to your bills.

Another bright idea is to change your ordinary light bulbs for energy saving ones. Priced from just £5, energy efficient light bulbs last 12 times longer and for each bulb you fit, you can save up to £7 on your annual electricity bill. If every UK household in the Black Country installed just one bulb it would save over £1 million per year!

For a report on how much energy can be saved in your own home, use the online home energy check by clicking on the link below. Alternatively, call your local Energy Efficiency Advice Centre (EEAC) on 0800 512 012 for impartial advice on how to make your home more energy efficient and the grants available http://www.est.org.uk/myhome/whatcan/hec/