What basic steps should I take to help save energy in my home in time for winter?

Connect into your neighbours Gas/Electricity supply. Wear ski clothing in doors. Visit friends/family on the coldest days. Sleep in the airing cupboard Winter in Australia

1, make sure your boiler/heating system is serviced and well maintained 2, check that all radiator and room thermostats work 3, check that all your cavity walls, loft and water and heating system pipes are insulated, there are government grants to insulate your home to reduce energy. 4,thick lined curtains at windows reduce energy lost through windows. 5, make sure all your doors and windows fit and close properly, use draft excluders or replace drafty doors and windows, 6, get all those old pearl light bulbs changed to energy efficient ones as we use them more in the winter

Hi Pete People often have recessed spot lights in top floor ceilings then push all the loft insulation away to stop the lights overheating? Answer fit lights that can have a cover over and are able to be covered by insulation then run the loft insulation over the top. Many lofts I have been in have had work carried out by others and the insulation has not been put back get someone to check your loft. All lights should be sealed where the cables come through the ceiling fire proof silicon is ideal. You can install a heat exchanger in the loft, heat and pipe in fresh air, extract heat from the cooker hood and bathrooms recovering heat in the winter, the system has to have insulated ductwork and a low wattage fan but helps to stop condensation in a house that has been insulated against cold and drafts therefore lacking ventilation! Often the case after Draft Proofing , Double Glazing etc has been installed, there are standard systems out there ready and waiting to be installed 12mm insulation boards are often used under kitchen and Bathroom floors when putting in under floor heating these boards can be used under laminated floors even without the under floor heating they insulate and reflect heat back into the room and help to stop noise. Often people dryline walls with plasterboard but you can buy plasterboard with an insulation backing already attached this would greatly increase the thermal rating of any wall or ceiling if used. Insulating the ceilings of the ground floor stops all the heat disappearing up into the bedrooms all new builds have this but it is worth considering in existing homes. To be really effective the heating system should work for down stairs separate from upstairs ie be zoned with separate programmable room thermostats 1 up and 1 down as well as thermostatic rad valves on each radiator then the bedrooms can be left on a lower setting and heating costs far lower and less wasteful. The ultimate now would be to install PV Solar Panels. I hope this helps Kelvin

Increase loft insulation. Double glazed windows. Cavity insulation. Energy saver light bulbs. Shower is cheaper than a bath. Fit solar panels. If you have a flue, maybe fit a multi fuel stove, we save approx £160 on winter gas bill.

service central heating system fit double glazing bulk up on loft insulation fit draft excluders to doors fit curtains behind all exit doors heat only rooms in use

If you have a hot water tank...and are using the central heating, ensure the immersion heater is turned OFF not on timed! It's cheaper to use immersion ON overnight through summer and OFF in winter. Set Boiler timers- HW 1hr before you are likely to use it and CH 30 min before your up...and when you come in. Try to avoid Constant setting.