Low cost ways to save energy

Vale of White Horse District Council
Abbey House, Abbey Close,
Abingdon, OX14 3JE
Email: comments@whitehorsedc.gov.uk
Telephone: 01235 520202

Heating

Put aluminium foil behind any radiators fitted to outside walls. Ordinary kitchen foil will do, or you can buy specially designed panels from DIY stores
Fit thermostatic radiator valves to give you greater control over your heating.

Hot Water

Fit a good insulating jacket to your hot water tank if it does not have sprayed foam on the outside. Tank jackets cost just £10 and will pay for themselves within one year.
Lag hot water pipes for around £10 to stop heat escaping.

Lighting

Fit European "A" Rated energy saving light bulbs (CFLs) in areas where lights are left on for long periods of time, or in difficult to reach places. They use about a quarter of the electricity and last up to 12 times longer.
Dimmer switches reduce consumption and help create the lighting effect you want. It should be noted that CFLs cannot be used with dimmer switches.
Fluorescent lights use less electricity than ordinary bulbs.
Energy saving light bulbs use 80% less than ordinary bulbs, and last ten times longer.
Outside lights can be arranged to come on automatically, instead of being left on permanently.
Light-coloured walls, ceilings and floors, as well as mirrors, reflect daylight, making maximum use of natural light.

Refrigeration

Use a thermometer to check temperatures of fridges and freezers, f ridges should be kept at 5°C and freezers at -18°C.

Windows, Doors and Draughts

DIY simple glazing can provide a temporary alternative to double-glazing. This consists of a thin plastic film stretched across the window and fixed with heat from a hair-dryer.
DIY draught proofing kits can be purchased from DIY stores from £40 and can save you up to £15 per year on your fuel bills.

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