Your top tips for saving energy at home

We asked the Ivybridge Wise and Wonderful Group for their ideas on how to save energy at home, here's what they said...
And we've had some more contributions too, see if you can spot your tips below.
tips for heating:
  1. Close the curtains when it gets dark to keep the heat in
  2. Tuck curtains behind radiators to stop heat escaping
  3. Wear an extra jumper! And slippers!
  4. Close the trickle vents on the windows if its feeling drafty
  5. Turn down your thermostat, but not so much that you are cold
tips for electricity:
  1. Switch appliances off stand by
  2. Switch off lights in empty rooms
  3. Don't leave chargers plugged in and switched on
  4. Use a smart meter to see where you could save energy
  5. Only put as much water as you need in the kettle
  6. Wash at 30, and fill your washing machine
tips for cooking:
  1. Plan your cooking, so you can fill the oven instead of cooking lots of small things separately
  2. If using gas hobs, make sure the flames do not come up the sides of the pan, only underneath
  3. Use lids on saucepans
  4. Use the microwave instead of the oven for reheating meals
low cost measures:
  1. Make sure your hot water cylinder is insulated properly
  2. Draft proof around windows and doors
  3. Fit low energy light bulbs, use LEDs where possible
  4. You could consider motion sensors for lights in hallways
  5. Fit radiator reflector panels
  6. If you are replacing an appliance choose a more efficient model
measures you need to pay for:
  1. Insulate walls and loft
  2. Get double glazing
  3. Get an up to date boiler if yours is old
  4. Fit solar panels

    Send us your energy saving tips and we'll add them to the list.

Other resources

You can download our frontline worker training pack here.

Centre for Sustainable Energy has some brilliant fact sheets available on their website https://www.cse.org.uk/advice/advice-and-support

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