Trent & Dove Housing believe we must work together to develop and sustain the environment, so we are trying to make all our homes as energy efficient as possible.
Why save energy?
Every time you switch on a light, cook a meal or put on your heating, you use energy. Energy costs are rising all the time which makes reducing unnecessary energy usage all the more important. Also, when fuel is burnt carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere, and this contributes to global warming.
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Lighting and electrical appliances
- Turn off electrical appliances when they’re not in use (including computers and mobile phone chargers). Don’t leave your television on standby.
- Defrost your fridge and freezer regularly. Don’t leave the fridge or freezer door open longer than necessary and check the seal works properly. Never put warm food into the fridge to cool – it makes the fridge work harder and so costs more money.
- If you have a dishwasher, try to save the dirty dishes until you have a full load.
- Turn off lights when you leave the room.
- Low energy light bulbs use a fifth of the electricity of standard light bulbs and last up to 10 times longer.
- When buying electrical appliances, look for the ‘A’ sign – the most energy efficient rating.
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Heating your home
- Keeping your whole house moderately warm is more efficient than heating one room to a high temperature.
- Try not to overheat your home. By lowering your room thermostat by just 1°C, you can save as much as 10% a year on your bills.
- Thermostatic radiator valves allow you to control the temperature in individual rooms. If you have these valves, use them to lower the temperature in rooms you don’t use very often. Adjust the valve to fit the use of the room; bedrooms can be cooler than living rooms and bathrooms; when bedrooms are too warm they are difficult to sleep in. If thermostatic radiator valves are not fitted, and you want to be considered to have these fitted, please contact our project manager for gas on 01283 528592.
- Don’t control room temperatures by opening windows – lower the thermostat instead.
- If you have electric storage heaters, adjust their input and room temperature settings so the room gets to the temperature you need.
- If you have an immersion heater on Economy 7, try to switch it on during the cheap rate period to save money.
- Fit lined curtains and draw them when it gets dark. Tuck them behind a radiator to stop the heat escaping through the window.
- Close internal doors before you open any outside door, to stop the heat escaping.
- Loft insulation can stop over 20% of your heat escaping through the roof. If you have loft insulation, don’t store things on top of it. Compressing the insulation makes it less effective – its air pockets keep the heat in.
- A hot water tank jacket will cost around £10 but will save you money in the long run.
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Laundry
- Use the washing machine with a full load to use water more efficiently or set your machine at half load so it will use less water.
- When your washing is only lightly soiled use a lower temperature.
- If you are on an economy 7 tariff, try to use your machine during the cheap rate period to save more on electricity.
- Use economy wash cycles if your machine has them; they use less electricity and water.
- Where possible, hang your washing out to dry.
- If drying inside use a clothes horse rather than covering your radiators. Remember to open a window very slightly to let the moisture escape.
- When using a tumble dryer, set it for five minutes less than normal and see if the washing is dry at the end.
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Cooking
- Keep lids on saucepans – the contents will heat up faster.
- Use the correct size of saucepan for the rings on your hob. This makes sure that all of the heat goes directly through into the contents of the saucepan, cooking more efficiently.
- Use only as much water as you really need when cooking your food.
- Don’t overfill your kettle – boil only the amount you need.
- Pressure cookers and steamers are energy-efficient ways of cooking and help keep the vitamins in the food.
- Cook small items under the grill and use the oven for larger items or batches of food.
- Microwave ovens are cheap to run if you cook the food for the right time.
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Bathing & Washing
- It’s cheaper to shower than to have a bath, you can take six showers with the same amount of water as one bath.
- Don’t wash or shave under a running hot tap – always put the plug in the washbasin. This can save about 2 litres of water each time.
- Remember to turn off the tap while brushing your teeth; this can save about 4 litres of water each time.
- 30% of the water used in the household is flushed down the toilet. By fitting a water-saving device in the cistern the equivalent of 30 litres per day or enough water for a five minute shower is saved! These water-saving devices are available free of charge from South Staffordshire Water by contacting them on 0845 60 70 456 or visiting www.south-staffs-water.co.uk.
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Further Help & Information
- For independent advice on energy efficiency and a free home energy check, contact the National Network of Energy Efficiency Advice Centres on 0800 512 012.
- You an also contact the Energy Saving Trust for advice about energy efficiency. Visit their website at est.org.uk or ring their hotline on 0845 727 7200.
- Most gas and electricity companies have schemes to promote energy efficiency. Contact your supplier for more information.