A few tips to help readers save on their energy bills

LIKE many, I am concerned about the increase in the energy price cap by 80 per cent, coming into effect in October. I have a few tips which may help your readers to save something on their energy bills.

This list is not comprehensive and there may be other suggestions which would work in different circumstances. I also realise that a lot of your readers may be using some of these tips already.

1) Turn off radiators in rooms not or rarely used.

2) Put on warmer clothing indoors when it is cooler.

3) Operate your heating and hot water system manually, that is only switch them on when they are needed.

4) Save up your dishes to wash once or twice a day in only one or two sinks full of hot water.

5) Use the shower instead of the bath. (I’ve seen a suggestion to shower or bath less often but this would be a personal preference).

6) Keep your curtains closed during the day to keep more heat in. If keeping the curtains closed means you have to switch more lights on then the saving may not be significant.

7) Do the vacuuming/mow the lawn less frequently.

8) Ensure the washing (dishes or clothes) machine is full each time it is used. Also use the most effective programme for the type of wash being done.

9) Switch computer/TV/radio/lights off when not in use – this includes off standby when possible.

10) Keep doors and windows closed. This has to be balanced with healthy fresh air ventilation.

11) Only fill the kettle with the amount of water you need – some kettles have marks for two cups, three cups, four cups etc.

12) With a hot water tank system, turn its thermostat down. If scalding water comes out of your hot tap then it is too hot.

13) Keep your main living room thermostat at 21° C (manual operation of the heating system may require this to be increased).

14) Don’t forget to switch off your heating systems when on holiday but leave trace heating on for a winter holiday.

Those first tips don’t cost anything but the next suggestions range from not too expensive to very expensive.

15) Use draught excluders (my wife knits lovely colourful ones!).

16) Ensure your heating system/ boiler is working efficiently.

17) Fit temperature control valves to the radiators in each room and set them properly (see 1 above).

18) Check that all your light fittings are low-energy. Don’t worry if they are not as a 60 or 100 watt older bulb will give off a small amount of heat.

19) Fit solar panels – on a southfacing roof is best.

20) Get a battery with the solar panels so that any excess energy collected through the day can be used at night.

21) With solar panels, a gas heating system can be supplemented through the day (or night with the battery) with ‘free’ electrical heating supplied from the panels.

22) With solar panels, use electrical appliances, especially ones with a motor or heater, through the day when the panels are operating.

23) Fit loft insulation to the current recommended thickness.

24) An old house with three layers of wallpaper is better insulated than the same house with painted walls.

A final funny thought came to me as I completed this list: Switch everything off, lock up the house and live in a tent. Note that this comment is definitely not part of the list.

For those who don’t read your paper, perhaps Fife Council or the Scottish Government could leaflet every home with a reminder of how to make savings using the suggestions above. Some of our

councillors’ quarterly leaflets could be used for such an exercise.