In these days of high energy prices we are all looking for ways to save a few pounds on our electricity bills. I think I may have a way of achieving this saving -get your teenagers to move out of the family home!

A teenagers bedroom consumes large amounts of electricity, TV’s, games consoles, music systems, mobile phone chargers, lights, computers etc. all on at the same time and left on when not in use. Sounds familiar? Over a period of a year (multiplied by the number of teenagers in the home) equates to a large amount of energy being wasted.

We can try to educate them, but to no avail, they don’t listen or is it that they don’t understand? A friend noticed a vast difference in his energy bills once his teenager ‘flew’ the nest to go to university. He calculated that he was saving £10 a month on his electricity bill alone, that’s an annual saving of £120. It may not seem a vast amount of money but it’s a saving that has allowed him and his wife to start a new hobby together, allowing them to have ‘more’ quality time with each other.

He is also making savings on his heating costs as windows are not being left open for the heat to escape and the heating isn’t being left on when no one is in the house! Is the way to save money on energy bills as simple as getting the teenagers to move out? From where I’m sat it looks like a viable answer.

“You can’t do that!” I hear some of you scream. You could try putting timer switches on the sockets, so devices are not left on unnecessary. You could use lamps that are more energy efficient or of a small wattage. These are little things that could make a difference to your wallet at the end of each month.

- Mark Jenkins

You don't have to take a plumbing course to know that there are a number of different things people can do to save water. Here are some of my suggestions for inside the home;

 

  • Getting smaller toilet cisterns which deliver 4 and 6 litre flushes
  • Water saving taps that aerate the water
  • Taking short showers rather than having a bath
  • Using a dishwasher that is full instead of washing a few items in a sink bowl
  • Using an A-rated washing machine, which not only saves water but also electricity
  • Brushing your teeth with a cup of water and not letting the tap run constantly
  • Having a fitting in your cold water pipe that enters the building to cut off the supply if there is a burst pipe or excessive loss of water (which would be considered abnormal usage)
  • Upgrading your open vented heating system to a sealed system
  • Changing the hot water open vented system (copper cylinder with stored water in the loft) to an unvented hot water system

Meanwhile here are some more tips for saving water outside;
  • Install a device that fits in the rainwater down pipe to divert the water to a barrel, where can collect the rainwater for garden use
  • Wash your vehicle with a bucket, not a hosepipe
  • Having a special water unit fitted underground to collect the rainwater. Here it can feed the toilets and washing machine as well as giving you the ability to water the garden from a dedicated hose (even in a hosepipe ban!). Also the water from the bath, showers and hand wash basins can be recycled with the rainwater.
Using some or all of these items will help conserve water. There is even a water purification unit that turns rainwater and "grey" water into drinking/bathing water again! Personally I think we should do whatever we can to not only save energy but also save on water usage. In the short terms this will help dramatically but in the long term will save you money, especially since suppliers have raised costs.

- Mark Lewis

If you are interested in learning more about plumbing and the range of water-saving alternatives out there, have you considered a career as a professionally qualified plumber? Access Training have a variety of plumbing courses available to those looking for industry qualifications and those looking to sharpen their DIY skills. For more information call 0800 345 7492 today.

 

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