When it’s cold outside, a well insulated, draught proofed house keeps warmth inside where you need it – helping you to heat your home more efficiently.  This means lower bills, less waste and less carbon dioxide entering the environment – one of the biggest causes of climate change.

 

Check if you have cavity walls and that they are insulated, top up your loft insulation to 270mm and get up to £300 cashback*. 

 

Around a third of the heat lost in an un-insulated home is through the walls, so insulating them can be one of the most cost-effective ways to save energy in the home.  If your home is built between the 1930’s and 1990’s it will have cavity walls but they may not be insulated.  Also up to 25% of heat is lost out through the roof and most homes in Northern Ireland don’t have enough loft insulation.

 

So why not ring the Energy Saving Trust advice centre today on 0800 512012 and find out how you can claim up to £300 to get your home insulated for the winter. *The cashback is funded by the Energy Efficiency Levy Programme, NIE Energy and NIHE. The cashback is on a first come first serve basis.

 

 

When you do have to use your car, follow these simple tips which could help reduce your average consumption and carbon dioxide emissions by 15%, saving up to £220 a year. 

Check your revs

When you change up a gear, look at your rev counter.  Change between 2000 rpm and 2500 rpm.

Slow down

At 85 mph you will use around 25% more fuel than at 70mph.  Keep to the speed limit.  The most efficient speed is around 45–50 mph.

 

Under inflated tyres are dangerous and increase fuel consumption.

 

Or why not leave the car at home and take the bus, cycle to work or car share! 

 

 

Energy saving products uses less energy and therefore has less of an environmental impact, as well as being cheaper to run.  The Energy Saving Recommended logo is a quick and easy way to spot the most energy efficient products on the market.

More and more products now carry the energy saving recommended logo

Televisions – The latest integrated digital television (IDTVs) receive digital TV without the need for a set top box.  With just one power supply you could save around £6 a year and 25kg of CO₂.

Set top boxes – Digital TV set top boxes for the reception of digital TV are inexpensive to buy, but by 2010 they – and other set top boxes – could be costing UK households around £660 million every year in electricity.  An Energy Saving Recommended standard set top box (i.e. non recordable) uses 50% less electricity than a typical set top box.

Printers - An Energy Saving Recommended printer uses around 25 per cent less electricity a year to run than one which is not Energy Saving Recommended. 

Over 40% of our carbon dioxide emissions, the main greenhouse gas which causes climate change, actually come from the energy we use every day – at home and when we travel.  Some of this energy is not needed, it is wasted by gadgets left on unnecessarily, empty rooms being heated or lit, appliances on standby and excess heat being produced by our boilers.

For more tips and advice on how you can save money, energy and the environment log onto the website below and complete our free home energy check to find out how you could save up to £300 on your energy bills.