In the UK we now own over 66 million desktop and laptop computers which means that there are more computers owned than households.

Therefore when you are choosing a new computer you may want to consider buying an energy efficient one as this will help both the environment and your carbon footprint.

So, what do you need to know before you make a purchase decision?

Initially, you need to decide whether you want a laptop or desktop computer. Laptops use 85% less electricity than a desktop over the course of a year so in this respect are considered more energy efficient. The energy saving comes about due to the smaller screens and components than the laptop has and therefore, it is felt that if your computer needs can be met by using a laptop then this should be your choice. However, if you need a desktop you should look for ones that are recommended by the Energy Saving Trust and consider turning the computer off rather than putting it on standby as this can use a lot of energy and cost you up to £58 during the lifetime of the computer.

It is also not just the type of PC that you need to decide on but also the peripheral equipment that comes with owning a computer and how energy can be saved here.
Firstly, if you are using a desktop computer you should consider how efficient the monitor is. Take a look at the label and description of the monitor and buy a monitor which uses less energy in comparison to others. By choosing a monitor which offers better energy saving then you can save up to 70kg of carbon dioxide going into the environment over the lifetime of the monitor.

Secondly, you will need to consider the type of printer to buy. Most households will purchase an inkjet printer which also scans, copies and faxes, so is multi-purpose. When buying a printer you can look out for ones that are recommended by the Energy Savings Trust and you will know that this printer is relatively cost effective to run when compared to others as their recommended printers use 40% less electricity in sleep mode.

As well as looking for energy efficient computers and peripheral equipment you should also not forgot about turning equipment off completely and not leaving them in standby. This will stop the device using any energy and reducing consumption.

Guest Article by Sarah Wain

Within a home the use of entertainment appliances such as televisions, radios and set-top boxes account for over one fifth of the energy used. Therefore, this has a huge bearing on the electricity bill. If you are looking at ways to save money on this bill then there are some simple methods you can employ while using these appliances to reduce your electricity bill.

Two such methods to save energy on your television and radio are detailed as follows:

Digital televisions

Unsurprisingly, televisions consume the most energy of all home entertainment appliances and the larger the television the greater the energy consumption. The energy saving trust highlights that using a 22 inch A rated LCD TV will cost £5 a year to run in comparison to a 56 inch which would cost around £19 to run.

Therefore, choosing a smaller television will make you more energy efficient even though a larger screen may be more tempting. Also, when televisions are on standby they still consume a large amount of energy and by not turning a television off fully could cost you an additional £10 per year.

Digital radios

Digital radios consume more energy than analogue ones. Typically, when a radio is switched off this means that it is in standby mode and this standby consumption is five times higher than a traditional analogue radio. Therefore it will only stop using energy when it is unplugged or switched off at the socket. If you want to save money you will therefore need to unplug or switch it off at the socket when you are not using the radio.

From looking at these two appliances it can be seen that it is important to consider your energy usage in relation to your home entertainment appliances. The most prominent piece of advice is that you need to remember that all appliances will save money if you don’t leave them in standby mode. Each year households typically waste around £35 by leaving appliances on standby. So, consider turning your appliances off at the plug once you have finished using them.

You should also consider using energy saving plugs and sockets which can come with either switches or timers that encourage you to turn off the appliances. This will also allow you to choose which appliances you want to turn off and which you want to leave on. These types of plugs are very practical and encourage you to save money and as you do, you will be helping the environment as well.

Guest Article by Sarah Wain

Lighting accounts for 8% of energy usage in a home and therefore it is little wonder that homeowners look to their light usage as a way to save money.

There are two ways in which you can save money with the lights in your property and this is either by replacing the lightbulbs with energy efficient ones or by using your lights less.

Replacing lightbulbs with energy efficient ones

Replacing a traditional lightbulb in a property with an energy efficient one can save you about £3 per year and around £55 for the life of the bulb. If you consider replacing all your old lightbulbs throughout your household then a huge saving that can be made. And remember, energy saving lightbulbs are available for types of bulbs including downlighters and spotlights, so money can be saved across the entire household.

Using lights less

It is important to always turn off a light when you are not using it. This seems simple but often people forget or overlook this as a viable way of saving energy. To aid you in turning off lights within your property here are some tips:

• Whenever you leave a room turn off the lights as you can experience huge energy savings just by doing this for a few seconds across your day. The lightbulb may not last as long by being repeatedly turning it on and off but you won’t save any money just by leaving the light turned on.
• Arrange light switches so that it is easy to turn them on and off. For example, a landing light could have a switch at the top and bottom of the stairs, so it will encourage you to switch it on and off as required.
• If you have external lights then you should have these attached to a sensor so that they turn on when you approach and therefore are only in use when required.
• Consider what you need the light for. If you are reading a book then you will require the lights to be on but if you are watching television you may only require background lighting.

So, remember saving energy via the lights used in your home is the one of the easiest and simplest ways to save money. Firstly, you should look to replace all old inefficient lightbulbs with energy savings ones and then look at your usage habits and how you can use lights less and more economically within your home.

Guest Article by Sarah Wain

It is important to ensure that your home is draught proof as otherwise heat which you are paying for is wasted as it escapes from your home making your household less energy efficient.

Often people don’t realise that draught proofing is one of the easiest ways to make home energy improvements as it is usually cheap and straightforward to fix.

There are common places in a home where draughts can be found. Typically draughts can be located in windows, in doors (especially in the keyholes and letterboxes), loft hatches, floorboards and pipe work leading outside as well as open fires.

Fixing draught issues can be done yourself if you are able to carry out simple DIY tasks. When choosing material it will be important for you to look for material of good standard which is British Standard Institution accredited. You will only require the help of a professional company if you have single glazed windows and require these to be changed to double glazed.

The best ways to fix draughts around the home typically include:

1. Windows – for draughty windows you can purchase draught-proofing strips that stick around the windows and can help fill the gap between the window and the frame
2. Doors – For external doors you should draught proof keyholes by buying a metal cover that covers the keyhole. For letterboxes you should fit a letterbox flap or brush which can stop heat loss. For internal doors these should be shut to retain heat and if they have a gap at the bottom a draught excluder can be purchased to save heat loss.
3. Loft hatches – Hot air rises and a lot of heat is lost through the roof of a house. Loft hatches can be insulated by using strip insulation (as described above for use on doors).
4. Floorboards and pipe work – Gaps in the floorboards and pipe work can be filled by putting filler into the crack.
5. Fireplaces – Fireplaces are notorious for losing heat. When the fire isn’t in use then you should install a chimney balloon which inflates in the chimney and blocks any heat from escaping.

Remember, if you repair any draughts in the home then you can save yourself up to £55 per year. It will also mean that you can lower the thermostat setting as heat will be retained in your house for longer and this could save you an additional £60 per year.

Guest Article by Sarah Wain

A household will usually heat its water either through the use of a combination boiler or from using a hot water tank (with an immersion heater used to heat the water).

If a home uses a hot water tank then it has been found that by heating the water through the immersion heater it is more expensive than if a combination boiler was used. It is therefore recommended that if your home uses a hot water tank that you do not leave the immersion heater switched on continuously as this will waste both hot water and therefore energy consumption.

This is just one such tip to help households become more energy efficient when using water within the home. If you are looking for more ways to become energy efficient as a way to save money here are four more tips that you should follow:

1. If your household has a hot water tank it is important to make sure that it is insulated as it has been found that a well insulated water tank can save you up to £40 per year.
2. As well as insulating the water tank you should insulate any hot water pipes to ensure even more energy saving as well as ensuring that hot water taps also run much quicker.
3. Make sure that you are using your hot water controls correctly and set them to when you do and don’t want water.
4. Switch your fuel supply to gain for energy savings. For example if you are using electricity you should switch to gas as this is cheaper or look at renewable energy resources.

These tips will help you save money as your energy consumption will be reduced. However, if you are looking at ways to save even more money then you will also need to reduce the amount of hot water that your household uses. Using less water can save you more money than you realise and areas in your home where you can save water include:

Inside the house where you should –

• Use the shower instead of having a bath and replace the shower head to a water-efficient one.
• Ensure that you fully fill dishwashers and washing machines before starting their cycle and use the energy saving setting. Also when the appliance needs replacing replace it with an energy efficient one.
• Stop running the tap while brushing teeth, washing faces etc. as this wastes water. Also use cold water instead of hot water to save energy.
• Fix any dripping taps in your home to save water.

Outside the house where you should –

• Collect water excess rainwater in a water-butt instead of letting it go down the drains. Then use this water to water the garden or wash the car.

Guest Article by Sarah Wain

The kitchen is the place where we use the majority of gas and electric appliances and use the most energy.

If you are therefore looking for to reduce your energy bill you should firstly look at how you use your kitchen appliances and consider how your usage habits can be altered as a way to save energy. To help you on your way here are are a number of tips that you can employ to save energy in your kitchen:

Dishwashers

Before putting your dishwasher on you should make sure that it is full as this will mean that it will be used less often. Don’t put on a half load and use the half load setting as this often works out more expensive than putting on a full load.

Cookers, ovens and hobs

It is important to ensure that when you use your oven that you open it as little as possible as otherwise the hot heat and air will escape. This means that food will take longer to cook and this will therefore cost you more energy. It is also considered that you should use microwaves as these are more energy efficient than ovens as they heat food directly rather than ovens which heat the inside of the oven first.

Kettles

You should never fill your kettle to a level more than is required as by overfilling your kettle it will mean it takes more energy to heat the water each time.

Fridges, freezers and fridge-freezers

Fridge, freezers and fridge-freezers are turned on all day so it is important that you buy energy saving appliances when they need replacing. It is felt that you should place these appliances in colder places in your home and then you won’t have to set the freezer at the lowest setting.

Tumble dryers

Tumble dryers use a lot of energy so it is recommended that you spin dry your clothes in the washing machine before putting them in the tumble dryer. This is because it has been found that spinning clothes in a washing machine uses less energy than a tumble dryer to get the moisture out. You should also unfold clothes so that they can move more freely in the drier as they will dry quicker.

Washing machines

To save money when using your washing machine you should wash clothes at lower temperatures than usual. Just like dishwashers using two half loads rather than a full load in the appliance will use more energy. As with all appliances you should switch it off when it has finished washing your clothes.

Guest Article by Sarah Wain

In these cold winter months we will be relying more and more on our heating systems to keep us warm.

However, this winter it is likely to be harder to pay our energy bills since we are in the midst of a recession and with Christmas nearly here our pockets will be stretched further. Here are 5 top tips to help you save money this winter.

Tip one – review and assess your energy usage and requirements

You should look at your energy usage. This means reviewing where you can save energy such as turning off electrical equipment rather than leaving them on standby and turning off lights when you aren’t in the room. It also includes assessing when you require heating in your property for example, look at when you are in your home and when you are likely to need heating to be turned on. It is not cheaper to leave the heating turned on all day and it is cheaper to turn it on an hour before you need it so before you wake up or get home from work.

Tip two – plan for the unexpected

You should make sure you know how to turn off equipment and appliances in your home if they become faulty as this will ensure minimal damage. It is especially important to know where your stopcock is. This is because houses are prone to frozen pipes in the winter which can burst when they start to thaw as the temperature rises.

Tip three – switch to another energy provider

You should consider switching your energy provider. Due to all the price increases this year it is an ideal time to shop around and compare tariffs between companies. Also, don’t forget to pay by direct debit as it is cheaper to pay by this method than any other.

Tip four – claim any winter fuel payment

You should look to see whether you can claim winter fuel payment to help you pay your energy bill. If you were born before 6th January 1951 you can claim up to £200 which is tax-free or £300 if you are over the age of 80.

Tip five – review and switch your boiler insurance

You should review the company who you have your boiler insurance with. Often taking out insurance with your existing energy provider can be expensive, so you should shop around to get the best price.

Guest Article by Sarah Wain

During the winter months there are a number of home improvement projects that you can undertake to reduce your energy consumption thereby reducing your household expenditure.

These home improvements don’t necessarily have to be big or costly as there are many small scale improvements that homeowners can make which are quick and easy to implement without the need for a tradesman. These small scale improvements are often overlooked by homeowners but by implementing the changes it can have a real effect on a household’s energy bill.

Whether you’re a DIY enthusiast, a handyman about the house or just want to maintain and improve your home here are five small scale home improvement suggestions that you should consider implementing if you want to have a positive impact on your household’s energy bill.

Home Improvement 1 – Get Insulating

If your home is not insulated then the house will lose a lot of heat especially through the loft. This heat loss can be easily eliminated by ensuring that roof space is properly insulated. Insulating a loft is something that you can do yourself but remember you need to ensure you know how to do this correctly, safely and using the right insulating material (which is the correct thickness).

Home Improvement 2 – Ensure there are no draughts

Heat can also be lost through draughts in your home and ensuring you eliminate these is important. Eliminating draughts is one of the simplest home improvements you can make yourself. To fix draughts you just need to locate the source of the draught and the most common places to look will be around doors, windows and letterboxes. Once the draught has been located the area can be made draught-free through the use of such products as sealants and plastics.

Home Improvement 3 – Watch the pipes and make sure they don’t freeze

Over the cold winter months it is important to ensure your pipes don’t freeze as this could lead to burst pipes. To ensure pipes don’t burst make sure you insulate them as well as fixing any leaky pipes that can be found around your home.

Home Improvement 4 – Consider installing a wood stove

Many homeowners decide to install wood stoves to reduce energy bills as a wood stove is an environmentally-friendly fuel and can save money compared to using electricity or gas. If you’re looking to make your home warmer while being more energy efficient this may be a project that you want to undertake.

Home Improvement 5 – Undertake DIY projects in your home on a per room basis

If you are looking to update or renovate a room in your home then consider energy saving in the design of your new room. A report from the Energy Saving Trust stated that one of the best times to look at energy saving is when renovating a room in your home. They also found that when homeowners did this they could save energy and reduce energy costs per year. For example, they found that changes made in a living room can save 14% on energy consumption and updating a kitchen and bathroom could save 4% in energy costs.

These simple home energy improvement projects on your property can help save you money with minimal effort and cost. So, implement these five home improvements to reduce your home energy consumption while keeping your house comfortable and warm.

Guest Article by Sarah Wain

You may have heard of the term green cleaning but do you know what it means?

In short green cleaning is about using cleaning products in your home that are more environmentally friendly than traditional cleaning products. There are many reasons why people are moving toward using green cleaning products and many benefits in doing so.

The biggest impact is on the environment as green cleaning products don’t contain any chemical or toxins as they are made from natural and sustainable ingredients. The products can either be created by ourselves or if purchased in a shop the packaging is also often made from bio-degradable material and it will have been ensured that the product will have reached us by environmentally friendly transportation methods. What this means is that the production of the green cleaning products result in less waste and energy consumption.

The products are also better for household safety as well as health. Green cleaning can help reduce allergies that can be worsened by using some detergents which contain chemicals. Also, the cleaners are likely to be safer generally as they don’t contain harsh toxins or chemicals.

Along with these other benefits, green cleaning can also work out a lot cheaper than buying traditional household cleaning products. Often there are many items in your kitchen cupboards that we can use instantly to clean our home with and are effective cleaning products, these products include vinegar, lemon juice and baking soda.

Vinegar is widely known for its cleaning properties as the acid within it makes it ideal for killing germs and bacteria. White vinegar tends to be a good way to clean kitchen and bathroom surfaces. Lemon Juice can act as a natural disinfectant and has bleaching qualities and is therefore ideal for cleaning limescale as well as kitchen surfaces. And baking soda can be used as a multi-purpose cleaner in the home when it is mixed with white wine vinegar or lemon juice.

These cleaning methods are not considered new as they are the old fashioned way in which individuals would clean their homes in the past. So it is worth researching what household products can be used to make your home gleaming.

If you don’t fancy the old traditional cleaning methods then consider switching to greener cleaning products when you next go to the supermarket. Just make sure that you cut through the jargon used to market the product to ensure the credentials and intentions of the product are in line with your own environmental opinions and requirements.

Regardless of whether you choose to use, make green cleaning products yourself or whether you purchase green cleaning products, you will know that your contribution is making a big difference to the environment.

Guest Article by Sarah Wain

Growing your own vegetables is becoming more and more popular in the UK.

A recent survey of 2,000 adults by HSBC suggested that nearly a third of us are growing our own fruit and vegetables at home and this was backed by a Which? survey that revealed that nearly a quarter of all people in the UK are growing their own food. But what has led to this shift in becoming self-sufficient and what advantages will we experience if we do so?

Firstly, the shift seems to have come about due to the recession and the increases that we are experiencing in food prices. This credit crunch is hitting our wallets hard and people are looking at ways to save money with growing your own vegetables being at the forefront of this. With households just not having the disposable income that they once did to save money and eat healthily they are growing their own food.

Secondly, there are also many advantages to growing your own fruit and vegetables. We have touched on it being healthier to grow your own vegetables but it will encourage the whole family to become involved in the process and to eat the fruits of their labour. If the whole family is involved it will also mean that each member of the family is being active and getting some exercise while feeling a sense of pride in what is being achieved.

It is also felt that by growing your own food then you don’t have any food safety concerns that often occur in processed food. As you are the grower of your own food then you know that your food is not contaminated and is as healthy as possible. Also, it has been found that by growing your own food households don’t waste as much produce. It appears that people are more precious over what they have grown as it will have taken weeks to nurture and grow the fruit or vegetable, therefore the food is taken less for granted and is eaten up before wastage occurs.

As well as all these advantages to households there are huge benefits experienced by the environment as growing our own food reduces our carbon footprint greatly. We are no longer reliant on purchasing these products therefore it reduces the transport needed to get these products to our dinner tables. This is often termed “food miles”. Also, the food we produce will not be sprayed with pesticides or chemicals which pollute the environment.

Guest Article by Sarah Wain