27/02/09
London handymen Greenworkforce are powered by 'ecotricity.co.uk'
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- An electricity company that spends every penny of your bill on building renewable energy generation schemes
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01/01/09
Greenworkforce top ten energy saving tips
- 1. Fix plumbing leaks.
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A single drippy tap can waste 212 gallons of water a month.
- 2. Insulate your hot water heater.
- Doing so can cut your home's CO2 emissions and save you around 4% to 9% in water heating costs. You also reduce standby heat costs by 25%-45%. To see if you need to insulate, touch your heater. If it's warm to the touch, it needs additional insulation.
- 3. Replace shower heads with low-flow heads.
- Low-flow shower heads can save you between 10% to 16% of water heating costs and reduce your water usage by 20,000 gallons per year.
- 4. Install half flush mechanisms in toilets.
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This will save you half the water used on a full flush each time.
- 5. Plug overlooked energy leaks around the house!
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Use low VOC caulk and foam strips around windows and door frames that leak air. Add door sweeps and door draught excluders. A 1/8" space around your door is like having a brick size hole in your wall. Imagine one of these for every door in the house!
- 6. Insulate.
- For maximum energy efficiency, your home should be properly insulated from the roof down to its foundations.
- 6. Install a hot water heater timer.
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if you have an electric water heater which can turn hot water off at night and on again in the morning. You may also utilise enonomy seven cheap overnight electricity if it suits your setup.
- 7. Replace your light bulbs.
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Energy efficient compact fluorescent bulbs last 8 to 12 times longer than incandescent. Just one bulb alone can save at least £30 in electric bills over its lifespan and reduce greenhouse emissions from power plants. Just 5 bulbs could save you 50% of your annual lighting bill.
- 8. Replace old windows.
- With new high performance dual pane windows with low-e coatings. Or self-adhesive reflective film on the windows. These films reduce air conditioning bills. In addition, reflective film can eliminate interior upholstery fading by blocking harmful UV rays.
- 9. Insulating your hot water pipes.
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Not only does this raise the temperature with a lower water temperature setting, you also conserve water since you do not have to wait as long for warm water whenever you turn on a tap or a shower!
- 10. Install outdoor solar water heaters.
- It's quite hard to install but virtually maintenance free. Best of all, it provides free hot water saving a fortune on gas or electricity bills not to mention kind to the environment.
- 11. Install shades, curtains, awnings or sunscreens
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to block light on hot sunny days and keep cooling costs down(slightly optimistic). In colder times, closing these heavy curtains can retain heat. This may seem like an old-fashioned and low tech, but it's surprisingly effective and time-tested tactic.
- 12. Add lighting controls and timers.
- Motion detectors outside can increase security and decrease energy expenditure. Timers can be set to turn lights off and on and predetermined times. This is an easy energy saver.
- 13. Re-use and Recycle.
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How about donating perfectly good cabinets, sinks and other appliances? Get a tax write-off, help someone else in need and save room in the landfill a win win situation. Check your local listings or go to www.habitat.org for a Habitat For Humanity Reuse Store in your area
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At Greenworkforce our handymen are experts at repairing your furniture and fittings. We prefer to fix things rather than throw them away if at all possible.