The Great 'Energy & MoneySaving' Hunt

WestonDave

If you have solar you could stick a low powered electric heater in there - something like one of those greenhouse heater tubes that run at around lightbulb levels of energy use. If you coupled one up either to a timer or an intelligent switch you could probably use some excess solar even in the winter to generate a bit of heat in there - it doesn't need to be ragingly hot - just warm enough to promote drying.

Cardew

WestonDave wrote: »

If you have solar you could stick a low powered electric heater in there - something like one of those greenhouse heater tubes that run at around lightbulb levels of energy use. If you coupled one up either to a timer or an intelligent switch you could probably use some excess solar even in the winter to generate a bit of heat in there - it doesn't need to be ragingly hot - just warm enough to promote drying.

You might be better running a low powered dehumidifier

jamesingram

yep , I'd agree , dehumidifier in your drying cupboard/room a good idea epsecially if you've solar PV to cover it's energy use. Main benefit over just a rad or electric heater is it will deal with excess moisture created by drying clothes inside which can cause damp/mold problems in those cold corner of your home if not vented out.

qbazdz

I have very efficient GCH boiler and really good radiator, but the house I live in is not so well insulated (rented property) and I wondered what would be more efficient - turning the radiators to full (mark 5) and setting a reasonable temp on the boiler (~50C?) with time controll on/off in a regime like 15min on - 45min off or having it on all the time (same temp setting) but with radiators turned down to let's say mark 2.
Anyone experimented with this?

steve6375

• Before putting a frozen meal in the oven, defrost it in the microwave first. This reduces the amount of time you need to cook it for in the oven.
• Switch the oven off 5 minutes before the time is up and leave it in for 6 minutes. This saves 3 minutes at 3kW!
• Fill the kettle with as much water as you are going to need - not more.
• Hang your shirts and folded trousers on hangers after washing and hang them on the line outside. Many won't need ironing at all and those that do won't need much.
• Wear 2 vests and a jumper and turn down the heating by 3 deg C.
• Fit thermostats to all radiators and only turn them up in the rooms that you use. Try to keep the number of rooms you heat to a minimum. e.g. if you usually watch TV in the lounge in the afternoon, put a spare TV in the kitchen instead and just heat the kitchen.
• Do you really need hot water all day? Use the timer to pre-heat the water and then switch it off. Why pay for the tank to be re-heated whilst you are at work?
• Learn to drive like a granny and use the roads when they are less busy (leave for work 15 minutes earlier). This can save 10% of fuel costs!
• If you normally go to bed at 11pm, set the heating to turn off at 10pm.
• A multi-fuel stove is much cheaper to run than an oil boiler and will heat the whole house. Last winter my coal cost £300 for the whole winter (Oct-March) - I used virtually no oil (hot water only) and only put on the CH 3 times when it got really cold outside! In previous years my oil bill has been £1500 a year. I haven't needed any oil now for 18 months and the oil tank is still half-full! Smokeless coal ordered in late summer is the most cost-effective (unless you have a free supply of dry logs)

Cardew

steve6375 wrote: »

• Switch the oven off 5 minutes before the time is up and leave it in for 6 minutes. This saves 3 minutes at 3kW!

• A multi-fuel stove is much cheaper to run than an oil boiler and will heat the whole house. Last winter my coal cost £300 for the whole winter (Oct-March) - I used virtually no oil (hot water only) and only put on the CH 3 times when it got really cold outside! In previous years my oil bill has been £1500 a year. I haven't needed any oil now for 18 months and the oil tank is still half-full! Smokeless coal ordered in late summer is the most cost-effective (unless you have a free supply of dry logs)

'This saves 3 minutes at 3kW'

No so! The oven will have a thermostat.

Even with a 3kW heating element(many are bigger) an oven on for 2 hours does not use 6kWh.

'A multi-fuel stove is much cheaper to run than an oil boiler etc'

Assuming you are correct with fuel costs, that is OK if you are home all day.

However much like your suggestion with hot water -'Why pay for the tank to be re-heated whilst you are at work?' the same with a multi-fuel stove.

You can program the oil CH to switch on, say, 20 minutes before you come home from work.

strandedinaber

This might not be the right thread for this, but I've just switched to natural-only beauty products which are already making a huge difference to my skin, saving me money and sending fewer chemicals down the drain. I'm now using honey for a facial wash and olive oil for a makeup remover (I tried baking soda and honey, but it's too harsh for everyday use - great for a weekly scrub though). I've not needed a moisturizer since using these two products but if I ever do, I'll go with coconut oil.

Also agree on the mooncup. Mine paid for itself years ago.

localmandoncaster

It can be as simple as getting an energy effiicient boiler, it can save so much if you get a grade-A boiler. The initial cost can be expensive, so finance can be an option. Looking locally I found a company offering finance at 9.2% across the UK which is reasonable. Look for "The Warmer Deal"

youth_leader

I'm really worried about our electricity bill - our house has electric and oil only.

We have an old railway station which is listed, only a II so no grants available. It's been a money drain since day one fourteen years ago, and we haven't been able to afford to double glaze 'inside' the windows as I would have liked.

When my mother died she left me some money and I used the money to buy an oil aga, cooking only.

We are currently using about 1000 kwh a month and I need to drastically reduce this as our income is going to plummet in January.

Does anyone know if there are any lists of the running costs of white goods anywhere please? I'm also trying to find out how much it costs to run my son's tropical fish tanks. Thank you.

harryhound

The intermittent fish tank heater could be monitored with one of these:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/141027827587?hlpht=true&ops=true&viphx=1&lpid=95&device=c&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=95
If you want to really try to save a few pence stand it on a cork mat and wrap it over night in bubble wrap - what is its operating temperature 20 - 25 degrees ?

Presumably you have solid walls and "cathedral" ceilings (if not you have already lagged the loft?) The building is a long thin rectangle or is it the station managers house upstairs and former offices on the ground floor?

The vital thing is to block all the drafts (without gassing yourself with the AGA).

If you have got casement windows I would fit them with very narrow sealed units with warm edge and reflective glass. [My sister has done this in a conservation area and got away with it] but it is expensive unless done on a DIY basis. You need to understand the need to stand the units on blocks and where to put them on an opening casement.

Sash windows loose most of the heat in the form of draughts [fit all the recommended measures and save 83% of the original losses.]
Here is an alternative that works for both casement and sash and also blocks draughts.
http://www.magneglaze.co.uk/index.php
http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/property/1095898-Secondary-Double-glazing-on-sash-windows/AllOnOnePage

Cut away any trees blocking the winter sun from South facing windows and have multilayer curtains that "velcro" to the window frames.
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/publications/thermal-performance-traditional-windows/thermal-performance-traditional-windows.pdf
The prof at the Caledonian university has published more detailed results.

Solid floors or room to crawl underneath?