Helping our customers.We’re on it.

You can stop hunting high and low. All you need to save energy and money is right here.This booklet of ways to save energy and money can help you find ways to reduce your bills, a lot of them are right under your nose.

Looking for simple ways to reduce your energy bills? Look no further. First things first – are you on the right deal?

Everyone uses energy differently, but we’d all like cheaper electricity and gas bills. That’s why we’ve put together this guide to saving energy and money. Inside, you’ll find lots of hints and tips, including useful information on how much things cost to run, from ovens and irons to showers and gadgets, and loads of surprising facts.

Making sure you’re getting a good deal is

always top of our list and you can check

you’re on our best energy tariff for you

at anytime. We do our best to make our

tariffs clear and simple to understand

and you can compare them online at eonenergy.com/bestdeal – in the time

it takes to make a cuppa. Or, you can

call us on 0333 202 4918.

Plus, if you do move to one of our

new tariffs, we’re rewarding your loyalty.

So, the longer you stay with us, the more

you’ll earn, up to a maximum of three years.

5 Our top 5 energy and money saving tips

6 From the fridge to the frying pan

8 Washing and drying are everyday savers

11 Keeping the cold out and the heat in

12 ECO – help is on hand to make your home more energy efficient

13 Heating your home

14 Wasting water is wasting money

16 Lights and the latest gadgets

19 An even smarter way to save energy

20 How to get in touch

Contents

32

What’s top of our leader board for saving energy and money?

They could save you around £125* off your energy bill and none of them will cost you a penny!

1 Turn the heating down a little and save a lotHaving the heating on swallows up about two thirds of the energy you use. But by turning the thermostat down by just one degree, you could cut over £40* off your gas bill. This is based on an Ofgem average consumption of 16,500kWh a year.

2 Get out of the bath and into the showerHot water is another big chunk of your bill. So instead of soaking in the bath, have a refreshing shower instead. It only uses half as much hot water and could save you up to £20* a year.

3 Turn the lights offWe all know we should turn the lights off when we leave a room but it’s easy to forget. Remembering to switch off just four 50W halogen lights in your kitchen for one hour could save you over £35* a year.

4 Ditch the dryerFew things gobble up electricity like a tumble dryer. So it’s well worth putting the washing on the line or using a clothes horse. Cutting down on just one load a week could take £30* off your bill a year.

5 Don’t leave things on standbyLeaving things like games stations and microwaves on permanent standby means they’re still sapping power and costing you money. Turning off gadgets when they’re not in use could save you even more.

54

Did you know? A common energy

wasting blunder is leaving the TV

on or on standby, with nearly 6

out of 10 people guilty of this.#

* All costs and savings figures in this booklet are calculated based on the information below:

All gas prices are based on 4.38p/kWh. All electricity prices are based on 15.15p/kWh. Correct as of November 2012.

Gas oven – 1.52kWh per use. Electric oven – ‘A’ rated medium electric oven using 0.8kWh per use. Shower – 35 litres used and boiler efficiency of 90%. Dishwasher – using 1.05kWh per cycle. PlayStation 3 – 205W for 4 hours. Xbox 360 – 165W for 4 hours. Nintendo Wii – 17W for 4 hours. Bath – 73 litres used and boiler efficiency of 90%. Washing machine – using 1.03kWh per cycle. Tumble dryer – using 3.83kWh per cycle. Iron – using 2.2kW for 30 minutes.

# Research carried out amongst 10,000 UK adults by OnePoll in March 2012.† Source: energysavingtrust.org.uk correct as of November 2012.

Here are our top 5 energy and money saving tips

• Make sure the backs of your fridge

and freezer are kept clear so they can

work more efficiently, saving energy

and money.

• Be careful not to overfill your fridge.

If cold air hasn’t got room to circulate,

your fridge will have to work harder to

keep food cool, using more electricity.

• When it comes to your freezer, keep it

at least three quarters full – the more

that’s in it, the less energy you’ll waste.

• If possible, keep your fridge/freezer

away from cookers, heaters and direct

sunlight. If they get warm, they’ll use

more energy trying to keep cool.

• If your fridge doesn’t have one, get

yourself a thermometer. The best

temperature for a fridge is between

0° and 5°C.

• It’s worth defrosting your freezer

regularly. If the frost gets any thicker

than about 6mm, your freezer won’t

work as efficiently.

• Recipes and cooking instructions on the

food you buy often say to preheat your

oven. But most modern ones need very

little time to get going – especially fan

ovens. The less time the oven’s on, the

less money you’ll be spending.

• Use saucepan lids to keep the heat in

and you’ll be able to use a lower setting

to keep things cooking.

• Choose the hob ring that best matches

the size of your saucepan – so you only

use the energy you need to.

• Use a steamer to cook a whole range

of vegetables in one pan.

Remember you don’t have to fill the

kettle if you only want a bit of water,

just boil what you need and the savings

will soon add up.

Did you know?

If you’re thinking about buying a new

cooker, you could save money in the long

term by choosing a gas or induction hob.

From the fridge to the frying pan

76

“ I put everything in the slow cooker before I go to work, so dinner’s ready by the time the kids get home. I’ve heard it saves a bit of energy too.”

Did you know? Cooking a roast dinner

for the family using a gas oven costs

around 7p a time, whilst an electric

oven costs 11p.*

“ I love saving a few pennies where I can. That’s why I always run my dishwasher on the economy setting, it takes less energy apparently, which means I’m not throwing money down the drain!”

Did you know? It costs around

16p* a load to run a dishwasher.

Washing and drying are everyday savers

Remember if you’re on Economy 7 it’s

best to run your washing machine at

night, when you pay less for electricity.

Some washing machines have a ‘delay’

setting so you can programme them to

come on when you want.

And it’s much better to use a clothes

horse to dry your clothes. If you put them

on the radiators, your boiler will have to

work harder to keep things warm, using

more energy and money.

Did you know?

Descaling your washing machine

every now and then will help it run more

efficiently, saving you energy and money.

Both vinegar and lemon juice are great

at removing limescale and freshening

things up. Simply use a large cup of

either liquid instead of detergent and run

a normal washing cycle, without clothes.

• Today’s washing powder and liquids

are designed to wash clothes at

temperatures as low as 15°C. By

switching your washing machine to

15°C or 30°C, you’ll save lots of energy

and money, compared to washing at

40°C or 60°C.

• A tumble dryer is one of the most

energy hungry appliances in your home

and you’ll soon see the difference in

your energy bills if you use it less. In

fact, cutting down on just one load of

drying a week could take around £30*

off your electricity bill.

• If you can’t dry your washing on the

line or use a clothes horse and you

need to use your dryer, give your

clothes a quick extra spin in the

washing machine beforehand –

they’ll dry much quicker.

• You could use a timer for your

tumble dryer, to make sure it’s not

on for longer than necessary. And,

if you’re on Economy 7, you could

set it to come on at night, when

your electricity is cheaper.

98

Did you know? It costs around 16p

a load to use a washing machine, a

whopping 59p a cycle for a tumble

dryer and 17p for 30 minutes of ironing.*

Did you know? Up to 33% of

your home’s heat could be lost

through the walls and up to

26% through your roof.†

As scary as your loft might be, it’s still one of the best ways to save energy and money.

“ It’s dirty, it’s dark, it’s draughty and it’s full of spiders.”

1110

Keeping the cold out and the heat in

• As you know heat rises, so it’s well

worth getting your loft insulated.

You should have at least 270mm

(about 11") of insulation in your loft.

• If your water tank is in the loft, it’s

a good idea to wrap insulation around

it – and the pipes. If it’s less than

300mm off the floor, don’t insulate

underneath it though. By keeping

it clear, warm air will be able to rise

from the room below to make sure

your tank doesn’t freeze.

• You can spray the gap where pipes

go into your home with insulation

foam to stop draughts. But be careful

not to block any air vents.

Remember insulate the back of your

loft hatch too and put draught excluders

around it.

• If you’ve got cavity walls, it’s a good

idea to get them filled. If you’ve got

solid walls, you could have internal

or external solid wall insulation.

• It’s well worth investing in double

glazing, as it stops heat from escaping

and pays for itself over time. If you

need a cheaper option, you could fit

internal secondary glazing instead.

• Even simple things like drawing

the curtains stops heat escaping –

especially if they’re lined.

Remember using underlay underneath

your carpets will stop heat escaping

through the floor.

• You’ll be surprised how much warmer

your home gets if you seal draughts

between floorboards, below skirting

boards, behind your bath panel and

around windows.

Heating your home

Rememberif you use your thermostat

to control your heating, it will keep your

home at the right temperature without

using more energy than you need to.

• As you know, there’s no point heating

rooms you’re not using, so why not fit

thermostatic valves to your radiators,

so you can turn the heat up and down

in each room as you need to.

• If you’re thinking of buying a new boiler,

go for a gas condensing one – they’re

super efficient and could save you as

much as £300† a year.

• It’s a good idea to bleed your

radiators once or twice during the

winter to release trapped air – it makes

them much more efficient. If you need

any help, we have a guide online at

eonenergy.com/heatinghelp

• If you’re not ready for a new

boiler yet, it’s still a good idea

to give your existing one a yearly

check-up. That way, you’ll know it’s

working safely and efficiently.

“ I get so warm running round getting the kids ready I turn the heating off 20 minutes before I go out. I’ve heard it saves quite a bit of energy over time.”

ECO – help is on hand to make your home more energy efficient

Our scheme will work towards making heating and hot water costs more affordable, by providing funding to fix or replace broken boilers for customers who need it most, help people living in rural communities to insulate their homes and make hard-to-heat homes more energy efficient through insulating measures.

By saving energy, you’ll lower your carbon emissions, which will not only help to protect the environment and tackle climate change but save you money.

You can find out more about ECO and how we can help you on eonenergy.com/savingenergy

Did you know? According to the Energy

Saving Trust, turning your central heating

down by just one degree could save you

10%* off your heating bill.

Energy Company Obligation (ECO) is a national programme introduced by the Government to help UK homes save energy and money – by fitting insulation or investing in a new boiler for example. The programme also aims to help people on low incomes keep their homes warm and save money.

1312

Wasting water is wasting money

• We all like to have a relaxing bath

every now and again... add lots of

bubbles to keep the heat in and you

can enjoy a nice long soak without

having to add more hot water.

• You may be able to save water

by having a water meter fitted.

Simply get in touch with your

water company to find out more.

• You could also fit a shower regulator

to control the amount of water you

use. Don’t forget, using less hot water

will help you save on energy – as well

as water.

• If you’re going away when the

weather’s cold and you’re worried

about your pipes freezing, you can

leave your heating on very low by

turning the thermostat right down,

rather than turning everything off.

It’s a good way to keep your home

safe and sound without using more

energy than you need to.

• If your hot water is heated by your

central heating, fitting a cylinder

thermostat will make sure it doesn’t

overheat and waste energy. The Energy

Saving Trust recommends setting your

cylinder thermostat to 60°C/140°F.

• If your hot water can be heated by

either a boiler or an immersion heater,

it’s best to use your boiler, as immersion

heaters are more expensive.

Remember fitting your water cylinder

with a jacket will help to keep the heat

in and use less energy – just make sure

it’s at least 80mm thick.

Did you know?

Having a bath uses twice as much

hot water as a shower – a bath costs

around 12p while a shower costs just

6p.* So switching to showers is a simple

way to save lots of energy – and water.

People in the UK spend over a billion hours in the bath and almost two billion in the shower. Women win the battle for the bathroom, spending 39 hours in the shower and 25 hours in the bath every year. 18-24 year olds use the most water, both in the shower and the bath.#

1514

Did you know? Knocking two

minutes off your shower could

save you around £20* a year.

Lights and the latest gadgets

• Why not use a 24-hour timer with your

lamps so that you can set them to go

on and off when you’re not in. That way,

you’ll save a bit of energy while keeping

your home safe and secure.

• If you’re thinking of buying outside

lights, it’s well worth buying ones with

sensors, so they’re only on when you

need them. Even better, why not get

solar-powered ones – they work all

year round and won’t cost you a

penny in energy.

Remember to unplug things like mobile

phones or cameras when they’ve finished

charging, so you don’t have to pay more

than you need to.

• If you’ve got kids, remind them not

to leave things like games consoles on

pause for hours, while they go off and

do other things. A PlayStation 3 costs

around 13p for 4 hours, an Xbox 360

10p and a Nintendo Wii 1p.*

“ I’ve fitted LED spotlights to freshen up my kitchen. They look great and apparently they use a lot less energy too. Just the thing when you’ve got friends round for dinner.”

The Energy Saving Trust estimates that if the average home replaced all their old-fashioned light bulbs with energy saving ones, it would save around £55* a year.

1716

Did you know?

People in the UK could be wasting

millions every year by overcharging

gadgets like mobile phones. Nearly one

in ten of us say we’re ‘too lazy’ to unplug

gadgets when fully charged and almost

a quarter wrongly assume that constantly

charging gadgets keeps them working

properly. In fact, overcharging can reduce

the lifespan of batteries – as well as

pushing up your electricity bill.#

Did you know? You can now get

energy efficient LED spotlights

that are bright enough to replace

halogen bulbs, as well as regular

energy saving bulbs for the rest

of your home.

What are they?

You may have heard of them already,

but in case you haven’t, smart meters

are a new type of electricity and gas

meter. They use the same kind of

technology as mobile phones and do

a whole lot more than ordinary meters.

All homes should have smart meters

fitted by 2019, but they’ve got so many

great benefits we’ve started fitting them

for our customers now – and they won’t

cost you a penny. To find out more, go to

eonenergy.com/smartmeters

How do they work?

Smart meters come with a portable

smart energy display, which shows you

how much energy you’re using and gives

you an idea of what it’s costing. You’ll

be able to keep an eye on the electricity

and gas you use over a day, week, month

or year and work out which appliances

are costing you the most. You can set a

budget too, to keep on top of things.

Your smart meters will send us meter

readings automatically too, so you

won’t need to read them yourself or

get estimated bills anymore. You’ll only

get an estimated bill if there’s a price

change or you change products.

An even smarter way to save energy “ Smart meters make it easy for my whole family to see how much energy we’re using and give us an idea of what it’s costing us.”

Smart meters can help you keep an eye on how much energy you’re using and what it’s likely to cost. That way you can spot where to make savings around your home and shrink your energy bills.

1918

Did you know? By 2019, every home

in the UK should have a smart meter.

How to get in touch

We hope you’ve found our tips useful and they’ve

given you lots of ideas for saving energy and money.

Helping our customers is always top of our list and

you’re welcome to get in touch with us at anytime.

Call us on:

0345 059 99058am to 8pm Monday to Friday,

8am to 6pm Saturday

E.ON Energy Solutions Limited

Registered Office: Westwood Way Westwood Business Park Coventry CV4 8LG Registered in England and Wales No. 3407430

eonenergy.com