Doing our bit together

At TOTAL BUTLER we are committed to trying harder for our customers and doing our bit for the environment. That's why we've produced these Energy Saving Tips, helping you to reduce your carbon emissions and save money at the same time. Just by making a few small changes, you can start to save money, improve the comfort of your home and help fight climate change.

Insulation

Insulating your home is one of the most effective ways of improving energy efficiency. It is recommended that lofts are insulated to a depth of 270mm to gain maximum savings of £180 - £200 a year. And by installing cavity wall insulation can reduce heat loss through the walls by around 60%.

Boiler care

Checking your boiler in the summer months will help to prevent an unexpected break down in the winter. Moreover, if your boiler is over 15 years old, it's probably time you replaced it with a new condensing boiler with heating controls.

Fridges and freezers

Fridge freezers are the most hardworking appliances in our kitchens. To help cut costs, avoid putting hot food straight into the fridge, defrost your freezer regularly and check your door seals are working properly.

Switch off standby

Households in the UK now spend around 10% of their electricity bill on standby power, wasting valuable energy. Appliances on standby use an astonishing 70% of the power used on full.

Draught proofing

If you can feel the cold coming in, your doors, windows and gaps between your floorboards are letting the warm air out. Invest in draught excluders for doors, windows and letterboxes opening onto the outside to reduce the amount of warm air escaping.

Energy saving light bulbs

By buying an energy efficient light bulb rather than other alternatives, you can cut energy wastage. Just one energy saving bulb can save you up to £10 a year.

Next steps…

Energy Saving Trust

If you want to know more about how to save energy, then get in contact with the Energy Savings Trust. This non-profit organisation can provide you with a personalised report that shows how much energy you can save in your home, advice on further steps you can take to save energy, and information on the grants that may be available to you. See energysavingtrust.org.uk or call 0800 512 012.

The Warm Front Team

The Warm Front Grant, funded by the government, provides a package of insulation and heating improvements up to the value of £4,000 for homes with oil central heating. These schemes are available if you're over 60, own your own home and are in council tax band A, B, or C. You may also be eligible if you're on Disability Living Allowance. To find out more and to see if you qualify, call 0800 316 2805 or go to warmfront.co.uk.

Local Authorities

Many local authorities provide grants and offers for local residents to install certain energy efficiency measures in their home. Contact yours to see if they can help you.