Energy efficiency for renters

gailey_2

After huge gas/electric bil last year want to reduce this year

we have

electric oven hob as well.
drier takes up lots of leccy but couldent live without
washing machine again vital as use cloth nappies.

stupid fire in front room is actually small electric heater very sad and pathetic looking.

gas boiler.

heating is timed in winter
hot water turned on and off as we need it takes half hour sometimes more to warm up for bath, we have electric showers but with 2 young kids we more bath people but do recycle water.

radaitors in every room not all switched on.

energy saving lighbulbs throughout house.
in evening I just have lamps on in bedrooms and downstairs.

We live in private rented 1980s newbuild 3beds but small so would have thourght more energy efficent.

I have seen insulation in loft dont think we can change anything like that because house not ours shame as would dearly love awoodburning stove but think you need chimmney for it.

Any tips for reducing energy.
Any ways I can make alternative energy in simple cheap non permanat ways around the house.

we looking on shopping round for new supplier too.

Im going to make couple of draft excluders.
get everyone to wear more clothes, use heating less.

seraphina

I would seriously reconsider washable nappies if it means you have to use a dryer - it totally defeats the purpose. IIRC there was a study done that reuseables were only more environmentally friendly if you didn't tumble dry them. Tumble drying is so expensive!

Batch cook in the oven - make the most of it while it's on. Use the oven as little as possible - if you have a microwave use this as much as possible as it's very efficient.

Boil kettle once, put boiled water into flask rather than boiling it constantly

gailey_2

I have a microwave yes.
I do already batchcook and freeze.

cloths even with energy bills cheaper and hate disposables.
I wash and dry nappy once every 3days
if weathers nice I line dry rest of clothes.
Thanks for advice.Might try flask idea.

babyshoes

Is there a reason you don't line dry your nappies too? You could hang them outside for a few hours and finish them off in the tumble drier if you want the softness that tumble drying gives.

You can get draught excluding strips to stick around the windows - I am sure your landlord won't object to that if you ask first, and probably wouldn't notice if you didn't!

betony

Hi Gailey. We're the same as you, we too live in a rented house, although we don't have kids. We'd also be interested in ways to be energy-saving. Hope we get more suggestions!

Pink.

Hi gailey,

As your thread has dropped down the Old Style board I've moved it over to the Gas and Electric board to see if you can get some more replies.

Pink

Hi, Martin’s asked me to post this in these circumstances: I’ve asked Board Guides to move threads if they’ll receive a better response elsewhere(please see this rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board, where it should get more replies. If you have any questions about this policy please email [EMAIL="abuse@moneysavingexpert.com"]abuse@moneysavingexpert.com[/EMAIL].

talulahbeige_2

Don't use the electric fire
We used to live in a badly insulated house where the radiator heat just used to vanish, we bought a calor gas fire (check if tennany says you cant have one), it was cheap to run and we didnt waste energy heating the whole house.

Your lamp might not be as energy efficient as you think! If you have ee bulbs in the main lights it might be cheaper.

Try and get hold of an energy meter that alot of the utilities are giving away at the moment to see what items use the most and then look at cutting back on them.

Try and get heavy lined curtains to retain the heat.

You say a huge bill but was that huge to just you? Give us an idea of actual consumption (not estimates)