Ask a Tradesman: How can I save energy in my home this winter?

Rising energy costs and the prospect of a winter marked by fuel poverty has, this month, led us to ask:

What basic steps can I take to help save energy in my home this winter?

We put the question to MyBuilder.com's database of over 45,000 trade members via its new Ask A Tradesman tool, who have come back to us with some great tips and advice.



1. Make sure your boiler/heating system is serviced and well maintained. This will not only reduce the risk of having to make an emergency call out but will also ensure that it is operating as efficiently as possible. Check that all your radiator and thermostats work and if your boiler is more than 15 years old think about installing a condenser boiler which can reduce bills by up to 30%. To be really effective the heating system should work separately upstairs and down stairs and should be zoned with separate programmable room thermostats as well as thermostatic valves on each radiator to allow bedrooms to be left on a lower setting. Heating costs should be dramatically reduced.

2. Are all your cavity walls, loft, water and heating system pipes insulated? There are government grants available to insulate your home and reduce energy use. People often have recessed spot lights in top floor ceilings and then push the loft insulation aside to stop the lights overheating. All lights should be sealed where the cables come through the ceiling - fire proof silicon is ideal. Fit lights that can be covered by insulation then run the loft insulation over the top. If you have had work previously carried out in your loft, check that the insulation has been put back correctly. Insulating the ceilings of the ground floor stops all the heat disappearing up into the bedrooms, all new builds have this as standard but it is worth considering in older properties.

3. Make sure that all your doors and windows fit and close properly and fit draft excluders or replace drafty doors and windows. Lined curtains will reduce the energy lost through windows and curtains hung behind doors will have a similar effect.

4. Change all your old pearl light bulbs for energy efficient equivalents. If you have halogen spot lights and down lighters, as the bulbs blow replace with the LED equivalents. You can achieve the same amount of light with a 5watt LED as a 50 watt halogen bulb, a tenfold saving. Invest in intelligent lighting devices which not only remember to switch lights off when you don't, but also reduce the amount of current required and the power you consume.

5. Turn off appliances and reduce temperatures. Leave nothing on standby, unplug battery chargers. Wash clothes on a lower temperature. Don't overload circuits by turning on lots of appliances at the same time, as well as potentially causing a fire you heat up the wiring and create an inefficient path for the energy to flow through and unnecessary heat. Spread how you use electrical devices.

If you have a specific question you'd like us to pose MyBuilder.com's database of tradesmen, let us know via customerservices@thegoodwebguide.co.uk, writing 'Ask a Trademan' in the subject line.

4th November 2011