Energy Conservation

Energy Conservation Tips

Saving energy at home is easy and not always expensive. If you simply start to think and become aware about energy you can reduce your bills by 5%.

In County Mayo we spend approximately  EUR146 million on energy annually. Each person in Mayo spends over  EUR1,000 per year on energy.

Mayo homes produce in the region of 225,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. It is carbon dioxide that is the main cause of Global Warming.

Some more simple facts on:

• Heating
• Lighting
• Insulation
• Water
• Appliances

Heating

• Reducing your central heating thermostat setting by 1^o C can save up to 10% on your fuel bill.
• Don't place furniture in front of radiators and heaters.
• Use thick lined curtains - these will act as insulation and stop heat leaving the room.
• Put reflective foil behind radiators. The foil reflects heat back in to the room.
• Don't open doors or windows to cool down a room - turn down the heating thermostat instead.
• Fill in gaps between floors and skirting board using modern sealants which will ensure draught-free rooms.
  

  Lighting

• Energy saving bulbs use about quarter of the energy of a standard bulb for the same amount of light and up to 10 times longer.
• Switch off lights in rooms that are not being used.
• When buying energy saving light bulbs please note that Low Voltage does not mean low energy and you will not save any electricity by using them.
• If replacing standard florescent tubes (T12), it is best to replace them with a more energy efficient T8 model.
  

  Insulation

• A hot water cylinder lagging jacket costs about EUR 14 and will save you about EUR 2.50 per week.
• Make sure your loft hatch fits snugly- warm air rises and will find a way out if it can.
• If you cannot afford double glazing consider using secondary glazing (e.g. plastic sheet of polycell or cling film) which although not permanent does cut down on heat loss through the glass and can eliminate draughts. It is also low cost and can be removed during the summer.
  

  Water

• Fix dripping hot taps promptly. Otherwise you are wasting euros per year for the sake of a small rubber washer.
• Set hot water thermostats to 55-60^o C max. There is no point heating water to the point where it has to be cooled down before you can use it!
• Use plugs in basins and sinks etc. - running the hot water tap is expensive and wasteful!
• Take a shower instead of a bath. A shower typically uses only 20% the amount of hot water that a bath uses, so you could have five refreshing showers for the price of a bath.
  

  Appliances

• Only boil as much water in the kettle as you require.
• Once a saucepan is boiling, turn down the heat down, vigorous boiling is no hotter than gentle boiling. Use a lid too, this will cut down on moisture escaping.
• Defrost fridge's and freezers regularly. Try to keep the fridge door shut and your freezer full (even if you just use empty boxes).
• Try to install fridges and freezers well away from cookers and other sources of heat.
• Don't put hot food in the fridge. This causes the fridge to heat up which means it has to use energy to cool itself down again.
• Turn the TV fully off. A television could cost you up to EUR12 extra per year just by being left on 'Standby'.

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