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