Earth Notes: Energy Saving Advice for UK Householders

This whole site is about my own energy-saving journey, and how you could save energy too. But it is a huge amount to understand!

This page keeps things simple. This page has simple easy and often free things to do. This page also has pointers to other places that you might find useful.

Five Free

Five top tips that are free and can save significant money (and carbon)!

Turn down your thermostat 1°C

Every 1°C that you keep your home cooler can save 10% of your heating bill. Unless you are unwell or very old or very young, 18°C and an extra layer of clothes is fine for most people. Add a thin fleece, a second pair of socks, long johns!

Bonus tip: do the money saving boiler challenge and maybe save an extra £100 on top at 2022 prices!

Only heat rooms that you are using

Keep doors shut in rooms that you want to keep warm. Also keep doors shut in rooms that you are not using to keep humidity/damp out. You need not turn the heating off for unused rooms, just turn it down. 1°C cooler in each room is 10% less energy to heat that room.

Turn off lights and gadgets not being used

Turn things off at the wall rather than leaving them on standby. Games consoles are known to be greedy. Even cable TV boxes can be off overnight if you are not recording anything.

Block draughts with a door snake

Block cold draughts under your front or back door to feel more comfortable. Even better if you can, is to add foam draught strips. You still have to make sure that you have enough ventilation to avoid damp. Maybe air your room well for half an hour daily when your heating is off.

You can even block draughts through your keyholes!

Close curtains and blinds at night

Another one to stop cold draughts that make you feel uncomfortable as well as leaking heat out of the house and your wallet!