WINDOWS

Check your thermostat; if its above 20ºC turn it down. Lowering your thermostat by just 1ºC will knock 10% off your heating bill.

Much of the heat loss from a house occurs through the windows, particularly if they are single glazed. So keep your curtains closed at night,

even in empty rooms and also ensure that the curtains don't hang over the radiators as that will just funnel all your heat out the window.

DOORS

Close room doors to separate heated from unheated areas of your home, and minimise the area you are heating.

There is no need to spend money heating rooms nobody is in.

LIGHTS

Turn the lights off when leaving a room. 

WATER

Shower instead of bathe. Fix leaking taps.

APPLIANCES

Position fridges and freezers in cool places away from direct sunlight and heat. 

Always wash full loads in your washing machine and dishwasher.

Switch appliances off rather than leaving them on standby. This will save up to 20% of your appliances' energy use.

TIMERS

Make better use of the timers on your immersion or boiler so you can control when the heating comes on and goes off.

This means you have heating and hot water when and where you want it.

While all of the above are simple tips that won't cost you anything, you may want to go a little further and actually spend money to save money.

If you are interested in spending money on making your home more energy efficient you should consider the following:

LIGHTING

Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs): These use a fraction of the electricity an ordinary light bulb would use and last up to 10 times longer.

SAVINGS

Replacing 3 x conventional light bulbs with CFLs can save a household up to €37 per annum and €24m nationally,

with CO2 savings of over 115,000 tonnes per year.

APPLIANCES

Be demanding when you buy. All appliances now need an energy label so check them for one.

Purchase 'A' rated appliances whenever possible, the amount they will save you on electricity will be more than the cost

of replacing the existing appliances you have. 

ELECTRIC HEATERS

When buying heaters, make sure they are the right size for the rooms they are to heat.

Remember that electric heaters consume electricity at the most expensive charge rate

INSULATION

Insulating your attic and walls could save you 40 to 50%  on your home heating bill.

HEATING SYSTEM UPGRADE

Replace existing systems with high efficiency boilers and zoned heating control.