- Keep doors to unused rooms closed while using heaters or air-conditioners.
- Seal gaps under doors with weather strips or door ‘snakes’.
- Dress warmly in cool weather to reduce the use of heating appliances.
- Cover your windows with thick insulated curtains in winter to reduce heat loss.
- Set your thermostat between 18 and 20 degrees centigrade. Every extra 1 degree centigrade higher can increase your running costs by around 10 to 15%.
- Place insulation in the ceiling of your home to help regulate temperature. Insulation can also be installed at the time of building in your walls and underfloor.
- Seal fireplaces when not in use.
- Consider using ceiling fans rather than air conditioners to make your house more comfortable in warm weather.
- Shade your windows to prevent the sun heating up your home in hot weather.
- Check that the pipes from your hot water system are insulted to prevent heat loss.
- Switch off computer monitors if you’ll be away from the computer. Screen savers do not save energy.
- Switch off or unplug appliances when not in use rather than leaving them in standby mode.
- Compact fluorescent lights can last up to ten times longer than incandescent globes and use around a quarter of the energy to provide the same amount of light.
- Use the lowest wattage light globe needed for a room.
- Dusty or dirty globes and light shades can reduce light output by up to a half.
- Install time switches on outdoor sensor lights.
- A simple way to maximise natural light is to paint internal and external walls in a light colour to maximise the light being reflected into your home.
- Mirrors are effective for adding light to a room.
- If you are using an energy efficient light bulb, try not to switch it on and off frequently as this will decrease the life of the bulb.
- Turn off lights when you leave a room.
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