1. Use energy saving lightbulbs. They last up to 10 times longer than ordinary bulbs and can save you around £45 over the lifetime of the bulb

2. Turn the lights off when you leave a room

3. Don’t leave appliances on standby. Unplug laptop and mobile chargers when not in use

4. Turning the thermostat down by only 1ºC could cut your heating bill by up to 10 percent, saving about £50 per year

5. Close the curtains at dusk to keep the heat in

6. Fix leaking taps

7. Set the hot water cylinder thermostat to 60ºC (140ºF)

8. Only boil as much water as you need for hot drinks

9. One full load uses less energy than two half-loads, so always make sure you fill the washing machine

10. Do the Energy Saving Trust home energy check and see how you could save up to £250 per year!

Visit: www.energysavingtrust.org.uk or call 0800 512 012 for FREE independant advice.

Great ways to save evergy

Banish draughts. Tackle gaps around windows, doors, floors and skirtings, pipes, letterboxes and even keyholes. If you have a chimney, but haven’t got a working real fire, consider a chimney balloon to prevent heat loss. You can also use chimney balloons with real fires. Just remember to replace after each fire.

Wrap up the hot water tank. Hot water jackets only cost about £15 from a DIY store, you can fit it yourself and save around £35 per year on your heating bill!

Insulate the loft. If you haven’t insulated the loft already, you could be wasting a quarter of the heat you generate through the roof. Loft insulation should be 270mm thick, so even if you think you have enough it might be worth checking. Proper insulation will last indefinitely and can save you around £145 per year!

Double glazing. Worth a consideration if you would like to save
about £130 a year on your heating bill!

But, do remember: Don’t tackle any maintenance job in the home that you aren’t confident you can do well. If you are in any doubt, call in a reputable builder.