Simple waste cutting measures, such as swapping to energy saving light bulbs and fitting draught excluders, could save householders a pretty penny this winter.
OFTEC, which represents the domestic oil heating industry, this week highlighted to Mayo householders the many ways in which they could be wasting energy and increasing their energy bills.
According to a recent poll commissioned by Co-operative Energy, almost half of consumers say their energy bill is their top spending priority in winter.
But despite this concern, householders could be wasting up to €60 per month in energy - adding up to over €700 each year.
Small oversights, such as not properly servicing their boiler or leaving electrics on standby instead of switching them off at the mains, can often needlessly add to householders’ energy bills.
To prevent energy shockers when the next bill arrives, the OFTEC is issuing advice to Mayo householders on some of the simple measures they can take, to counteract wastage. Top tips include:
Turning off standby
You could be wasting €5 per month, which adds up to a significant €60 each year, by not switching off those appliances that often sit on standby at the mains, such as printers and televisions.
Swap to energy saving light bulbs
You could be wasting up to €70 a year on your energy bill by using regular light bulbs.
Be water efficient
You would be shocked by how much water you save by switching from a bath to a shower. By adding a water-efficient head to your shower as well, you could save about €95 a year on your energy bill.
Turn the thermostat down
Try to keep the room at 19°C. Increasing room temperature by only 1°C can increase heating costs by 10 per cent. On the other hand, reducing temperature by only 1°C could end up saving almost €7 per month.
Service the boiler
If your oil boiler has not been serviced recently, then you could be wasting energy and money. In fact, by servicing your boiler, you could improve your overall efficiency by 10 per cent - shockingly saving you almost €130 per year.
Switching to a condensing boiler
This change could add up to a saving of 18 per cent on an annual oil bill. In real terms, this equates to a cost saving of €26 a month and €328 a year for a typical three bedroom house.
Fit heating controls
Simple control measures, including a seven day programmer with room and cylinder thermostats and a motorised control, allows you to have separate hot water and space heating. The installation of these new controls could mean a reduction in your fuel bill of up to 30 per cent.
Insulate your home
There is no point in heating your house if the heat is then lost. By injecting foam into the cavity in your walls, you can make a saving of almost €12 a month.
Fit draught stripping across doors
Don’t let good heat go to waste. By eliminating small draught gaps you can make a significant saving of around €126 a year, or €10 a month.
