Keeping your home utilities cost efficient.
We all need to take responsibility for the efficiency of our home utilities for both financial and environmental reasons. There are a number of ways we can do this by looking at what we do in the home and who provides our utilities. The choices you have as an energy consumer have increased substantially in recent years and there is no longer a monopoly on who provides your most basic requirements. We have collated some tips and useful resources to prompt you into giving your home a cost efficiency over-hall.
1.Check the thermostat on your water cylinder, it should be set no higher than 60 C or 140 F if properly insulated.
2.Turning your central heating thermostat down by 1 C can cut your heating bills by up to 10%. Check that timings you have set on the thermostat really do fit in with your lifestyle on a regular basis.
3.Turn taps off and fix leaks promptly, a dripping hot water tap could fill a full size bath in two weeks.
4.Only fill the kettle with as much water as you need,
5.Switch off lights when you leave the room and use energy saving light bulbs, they last up to 12 times longer.
6.Do not leave appliances on standby or on charge unnecessarily.
7.Check your loft insulation is up to scratch, windows are draught free and curtains are doing their job after dark. These are valuable long term investments.
8.Go to the energy saving trust website for a free home energy check: www.est.org.uk.
Look over your bills for the last year and make a note of how many units of Gas, Electricity and Water you have used. This will help you get more accurate quotes when looking at other energy providers instead of using your current direct debit budget plan as a basis.
Find out which energy providers cover your post code and speak to all of them regarding cost and level of service provided. Many offer Gas and Electricity -potentially offering a discount if you use them for both. Don’t make any assumptions until your research is complete. There will usually be heating, plumbing and electrical appliance maintenance contracts on offer also. These make budgeting for emergencies much easier but may be an un-necessary cost if you live in a new property or development that is still covered by builders guarantees.
It is unlikely that you will have the same choice regarding water providers but you may have the choice between paying water rates or having a meter installed. If you a single person who is economical with water you may well benefit from having a meter for example. Either way you should take responsibility for economising your water usage and re-using water where necessary. With this years low rainfall your plants will be grateful for old dishwater.
The opinions expressed are those of the author only. The material is for general information only and does not constitute legal, financial or other form of advice. You should not rely on this information to make (or refrain from making) any decisions. Always obtain independent, professional advice for your own particular situation by an FSA authorised company where the market is FSA regulated.