Home energy advice

Save energy, save money

Saving energy can save you money. It’s good for your health, can make your home a more comfortable place to live and it protects our planet.

The following information will help you save money and give you more control over the energy you use at home.

Home heating and hot water

Reduce your home thermostat temperature

Setting your thermostat between 18 and 21C will reduce the cost of your heating whilst still being comfortable. If you’re older or have a health condition, you may need to keep your home warmer.

Check your thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs)

Thermostatic radiator valves control the temperature of a room by adjusting the amount of hot water that enters the radiator they are attached to. If you don’t use a room all day, then set it to a lower temperature. Don’t switch the radiator off completely as this may increase the likelihood of damp issues.

Programmers and times

Program your heating around your day. For example, switch it on half an hour before you need it and switch it off half an hour before you no longer need it. This is because most homes take about 30 minutes to heat up and cool down.

Reduce your gas boiler flow temperature

If you have a combi boiler you could be burning more gas than you need. This is because the default setting for boilers is usually 80 degrees C, but the boiler works most efficiently at 60 degrees C. Changing the boiler flow temperature could save you over £100 a year. Find out how to change this on the Money Saving Boiler Challenge website.

More information about heating your home efficiently is available on the Centre for Sustainable Energy website.

Economy 7 and night storage heaters

Economy 7 and electric heating such as storage heaters differ from gas central heating. Citizens Advice and the Centre for Sustainable Energy have information to help you get the most from storage heaters.

Hot water

If you have a combi boiler, you can change the flow temperature of your boiler. Find out how to do this on the Money Saving Boiler Challenge website.

If you have a traditional hot water tank, ensure it has its own thermostat and set it between 60 and 65 degrees C. Instead of heating the tank all day it is much cheaper to set the timer to heat it up for a couple of hours each morning or evening.

Electric Showers use a lot of electricity so taking shorter showers could save money.

Draughts and insulation

Draught proofing

A draughty home is harder and more expensive to keep warm. There are lots of simple, low-cost ways to draught proof your home such as traditional draught excluders that you can make at home. Effective draught proofing could also keep your home cooler during hot weather too.

Both the Energy Saving Trust and Centre for Sustainable Energy websites have lots of information about how to find draughts and prevent them.

Insulation

Having the right insulation can make your home more comfortable and reduce energy costs. Some forms of home insulation can have a significant initial cost to install but over their lifetime will save you more money than it cost to install, especially if you’re living in your home long-term. For more expensive insulation types, grants may be available to help pay some of the cost.

The main types of insulation:

Roof and loft insulation – generally lowest cost, easy and quick to install; it not only keeps you warmer in winter but can keep your house cooler in summer. Loft insulation will pay for itself many times over during its 40-year lifespan.
Solid wall insulation and cavity wall insulation - will reduce your energy bills and make your home more comfortable, reducing draughts and noise from outside. External wall insulation can be expensive but will recoup its costs over the lifetime of the product.
Floor insulation - can be installed by a competent DIYer, or you can pay to have it done professionally. It can save around £145 per year on your energy bill and reduce draughts and noise.
Radiator, water tank and pipe insulation – these are simple and cheap ways of saving energy (and money). Install reflective radiator panels behind radiators which are attached to external walls, lag hot water pipes and if you have a hot water tank make sure it has effective insulation.

For a full explanation on all the types of insulation, check out the information provided by the Energy Saving Trust.

More information is available on the Energy Saving Trust website - Reducing heat loss.

Appliances

Buying energy efficient appliances

When buying a new appliance, look for one that has the best energy rating. Energy ratings relate to the size of the appliance, so a smaller fridge will be cheaper to run than a large fridge for example, even if they have the same rating.

Find out more about energy rating labels on the Label 2020 website.

Using appliances efficiently

Avoid leaving appliances on standby. A typical household spends £60 per year on appliances on standby.

Appliances like fridges and freezers are on constantly so can use a lot of electricity. Place them away from heat and sunlight and keep the coils free of dust
Only fill the kettle with the water you need and de-scale it regularly.
Wash clothes at 20°C and use the right cycle. Avoiding tumble driers and air-drying clothes instead will save money.
Set dishwashers to ‘eco’ and only run them when they are full.
Changing how you cook can save you money. The amount that cooking costs will alter depending on what you’re cooking, how you’re cooking it and how many you are cooking for. Find out more on the Energy Saving Trust website.

Energy appliance costs

You can see how much running certain appliances costs over on the Centre for Sustainable Energy website - How much energy am I using?

Lower your energy bills with ECO funding

ECO4 scheme

We can help residents who meet eligibility criteria access full or part funding for energy efficiency upgrades such as:

boiler replacements (homeowners only)
first time central heating
loft insulation
room in roof insulation
cavity wall insulation
under floor insulation
external wall insulation

These upgrades are mainly funded through the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) 4 scheme. The scheme is focused on properties with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of D or below – find your EPC on GOV.UK - Find an energy certificate.

The scheme is also available to landlords and tenants (tenants need to seek landlords approval before applying).

YES Energy Solutions

We are working with energy experts YES Energy Solutions to help residents receive funding.

YES Energy Solutions’ friendly energy advisors will assist residents through the qualifying process, and arrange a property survey with their industry accredited installer partners.

To find out if you qualify, view the full details of the scheme on YES Energy Solutions’ website.

To apply, call YES Energy Solutions on 01422 880 100 or fill out their online contact form.

ECO4 Flexible Eligibility Statement of Intent

Further information and advice

Energy efficiency

There are local and national organisations that provide energy efficiency advice. There is also advice and support via your energy supplier’s website.

Derby City Council – home.energy@derby.gov.uk.
Warmer Derby and Derbyshire - Call 0800 677 1332 or email wdd@mea.org.uk.
Groundwork - Green Doctor - Groundwork Five Counties - Energy & Water. Call 01159788212 or email greendoctor@groundworknottingham.org.uk.
St James' Centre - Centre for Warmth. Call 07818 381510 Email: advice4all@stjamescentre.org.
Centre for Sustainable Energy website.
Energy Saving Trust website.

The Government's website ‘Find Ways to Save Energy in Your Home’ has recommendations for home improvements that could make your property cheaper to heat and keep warm.

Energy bills and Cost of Living

If you are struggling with the cost of your energy bill, support is available from local and national organisations.

Healthy Housing Hub

If you think your housing conditions may harm your health find information on our Healthy Housing Hub pages.