Saving Energy in the Home Top Tips Easy Read

Transcription

1 Saving Energy in the Home Top Tips Easy Read

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3 Rory Rory BILLY BILLY Rory Save it! This workbook has been made by people with learning disabilities and/or autism. This workbook will help you to think about good ways to save energy in the home. It is split into sections and each section has a quiz to test what you remember. You can go through this by yourself, with someone you trust, in groups or with your family. If you need help then ask someone you trust. 1 1

4 180 In the kitchen This section tells you how you can save energy in the Kitchen. Cooking instructions often say preheat your oven. But most modern ones especially fan ovens actually need very little time to get going. So turn it on and get cooking! Chop chop. Cut your food into smaller chunks for faster, cheaper cooking. Simmer down your cooking by making sure your pans are on a low heat and simmering nicely. Your food will cook just as well. Put a lid on wasting energy. Using saucepan lids means you can keep the heat in and use a lower setting. Simple. Using a steamer means you can cook a whole variety of delicious veggies all on one ring. Steaming also makes them taste lovely, so full steam ahead! 2

5 In the kitchen If you have a microwave then use it to cook your veg. It saves energy and is better for you. If you only need to cook a small amount of food in a pan then use a small pan to save energy. When your food is nearly cooked in a pan, turn off the heat and let it finish cooking for 5 minutes. If you like jacket potatoes, try cooking them in the microwave, they cook quicker than in the oven and you save energy. 3 1

6 In the kitchen When you are making a cup of tea, only fill the kettle with enough water for the drinks you are making. It s also a good idea to keep your kettle clean.you can buy things in the supermarket to put in your kettle which will keep it clean. Use a toaster instead of a grill to make lovely, fresh and energy efficient toast! Use a slow cooker to make your meals. You can put everything in at the start of the day and by tea time it will be ready for you and you will have saved energy as well! Be safe and save energy. Use a deep fat fryer instead of a chip pan to cook your chips. 4

7 In the kitchen - The oven Opening the oven door to see if your food is cooked wastes heat and energy. If you keep your oven door clean you can see inside without having to open the door. If your electric hob isn t working very well and you are thinking of buying a new one, think about buying a more energy efficient one, like a gas or induction hob. Use the grill instead of the oven if you can - it saves energy and can be healthier. Keep the back of your fridge clean. Hoover up any dust on the grills and you can make it more efficient. Ask someone you trust to help. 5 1

8 In the kitchen - The fridge Clear out your fridge. If there are things in there which are out of date then throw them out. If your fridge is too full it will not work properly and will cost you more money to run it. If you have a freezer then it will use more energy if it is empty. So try to keep a few things in it. Gaps or holes in the door seal on your fridge will let the cold air out. So check them. If you are cooking, don t leave the fridge door open for too long. Keep it closed. It is a good idea to keep your fridge and cooker away from each other in the kitchen. 6

9 In the kitchen - The fridge If you are looking to buy a new fridge, freezer, washing machine or dishwasher then look for the energy rating. One with a A+ or A++ could save you a lot of money to run. Think about the size of fridge or freezer you want. Don t buy a big one if you don t need one. It will cost you more money to run it. A thermometer in your fridge is a good idea. It can tell you if you need to turn the fridge down, which will save you money. If you are keeping spare food in your fridge or freezer after you have cooked it, make sure it has cooled down first before you put it in. 7 1

10 In the kitchen - The fridge If there is too much frost and ice in your fridge or freezer then it will need to work harder. Defrost your fridge or freezer if it gets icy and you will save money. If your fridge or freezer needs replacing then make sure you get rid of it properly. The shop you buy your new one from or the council can help you to do this. 8

11 Quiz 1) How can you save energy boiling a kettle? A) Fill it right to the top with water every time? B) Only fill it with the water you need? 2) When cooking vegetables, which of these are ways to save energy? Tick each one. A) Use the biggest pan you can find? B) Use a steamer? C) Use the right sized pan with a lid? D) Use a microwave? 9 1

12 Rory Rory Quiz BILLY Tick the right box 3) Put lids on your pans when they are cooking on the hob? Always Never 4) Use a microwave to cook if you can because it uses less energy? 5) Look for an A+ or A++ energy rated fridge when you need to buy a new one? 6) Defrost your freezer when it gets full of ice? 10

13 Washing This section tells you how you can save energy washing and drying. If you use a dishwasher, make sure it is full before you use it and you will save energy. Most dishwashers have an economy setting which you can use to save money. They might have a half load setting if you haven t got much to put in. When you use your washing machine to wash your clothes, switch to a cooler temperature like 30 degrees instead of 60 or 40. Your clothes will still wash ok, but you will save energy! Keep your washing machine clean and efficient. Use a descaler which you can buy from the supermarket, or use vinegar instead... but don t wash your clothes at the same time! 11 1

14 Drying Try not to use your tumble dryer, it uses a lot of energy and costs a lot of money to run. If you have to use a tumble dryer, keep an eye on the clothes inside and don t run it for longer than you need to. If the weather is nice and quite warm, switch off the tumble dryer and dry your clothes outside on the washing line to save money. You can also dry your clothes on a rack in the house as well. Don t put them on the radiators though as this will make the boiler work harder than it needs to. If you are buying a new tumble dryer, look for ones which are A+ or A++ rated as they will use less energy and help you to save money. 12

15 Making your home warmer This section tells you how you can save energy heating your home. Some of these things you can only do if you own your home. But even if you rent you can still ask your landlord to check them as it will save you money on your bills! In your loft you should have thick insulation which will stop heat escaping. Ask someone you trust to help you to check this and help you get some loft insulation put in, if you need it. Don t forget to check your loft hatch is insulated too! It s also a good idea to check any water tanks in your loft as well, they should be insulated as well as any pipes. If you own your home, then it is a good idea to check it has cavity wall insulation. Ask someone you trust to help you check this. 13 1

16 Making your home warmer Double glazing is a good idea. If you have old single glazed wooden windows then it is a good idea to think about replacing them. It can cost a lot of money but it is worth it in the end. If you can t afford double glazing then secondary glazing is where they put new glass behind the ones you have to make them warmer and it is cheaper. If you have curtains in your home, close them at night or when it gets dark to save heat. There should be water in your radiators, not air, so bleed your radiators at least 2 times a year. Ask someone you trust to help you. If you have storage heaters then try not to have them under windows as their thermostats will get confused by draughts and heat from the sun. 14

17 Saving on heat 24 hi c off + You don t have to have a cold home to save on your bills. Turning the heat down just a degree on your thermostat might save you a lot of money. If you re not using a room then why heat it up? Turn radiators off in rooms you are not using. If you are replacing old radiators, make sure the new ones are the right size for the room. Ask someone you trust to help you. Leaving the heating on low all day and night isn t cheaper than turning it on when you need it. 24 hi c off + If you get too hot in your home, turn the heating down before you open a window. 15 1

18 Saving on heat Before you start turning the boiler up when you get cold, why not put an extra jumper on? When you go to bed and it is cold, don t leave the heating on, just put an extra thick duvet on or an extra blanket. 24 hi c off + Turn your heating off 15 minutes before you go out or go to bed, then you re not heating the home when you don t need to. You could save a lot of money by replacing an old boiler. So if your boiler is over 15 years old then speak to a gas engineer about changing it. If you can t afford a new boiler, then get your old one serviced every year. A boiler should be checked every year to make sure it is safe and it could save you money on your bills. 16

19 Quiz 1) It is a warm sunny day and you have lots of clothes to dry. Which is the best way to save energy? A) Put it all in the tumble dryer? B) Hang it all on a washing line outside or on a clothes rack inside? 2) Tick any of these answers which will save you energy by saving heat? A) Make sure your loft has good insulation? B) Put insulation round your hot water tank? C) Put your heating on low all day? 17 1

20 Rory Quiz Rory BILLY What should you do? 3) Spend money insulating your loft, hot water tank and pipes? Always Never 4) Immediately turn the heat up if you feel a little chilly at home? 5) Leave your heating on when you are away from home for a long time? 6) Turn your heating down a degree to save money on your heating bill? 18

21 Saving on water This section tells you how you can save energy, money and water. Have a shower instead of a bath. Baths use 3 times as much hot water than a standard shower. If you do have a bath then don t fill it any deeper than you need to. When you wash your hands in the sink, put the plug in so you don t have to keep the water running. If you are washing the pots in the sink, use a washing bowl so you don t have to put as much water in. Think about having a water meter fitted. Most people save money by having one! 19 1

22 Saving on water When you are brushing your teeth, switch the tap off until you need it. If you are going away for a while, turn the thermostat right down so you are not heating your home when you don t need to. Make sure you have a thermostat fitted to your hot water cylinder so it doesn t overheat your water and waste energy. Fit a hot water jacket to your water cylinder, this will save you money on your bills too! Fix that dripping tap, it s probably just a simple washer. Ask someone you trust to help you. 20

23 Saving on lighting This section tells you how you can save energy with lighting. If you are not using a room, then switch the light off. It s also a good idea to switch off all the lights in your home before you go to bed. If you have old style light bulbs in your home, why not change them for modern energy saving bulbs. They cost a bit more, but they last longer and will save you energy and money in the future. If you have lights in your garden, make sure they turn off when you don t need them. A box called a motion sensor is a good idea as they will only come on when someone walks past. Don t leave your TV, DVD player, music player, games console or anything like that on standby. Switch it off at the plug when you are not using it. Be safe and save energy with your chargers. Don t leave them on all the time. Switch them off when your battery is charged. It s safer too! 21 1

24 Quiz 1) Which of these is cheaper to have? A) A bath every day? B) A shower every day? 2) Tick any of these answers which will save you energy heating your water? A) Fitting a thermostat to your hot water tank? B) Putting the plug in the sink to wash your hands? C) Using a washing bowl in the sink when you are washing the pots? 22 1

25 Rory Quiz Rory BILLY What should you do? 3) Switch off the lights in your home when you are not using them? Always Never 4) Replace old style light bulbs with energy saving bulbs? 5) Switch off your TV, radio, DVD Player or games console at the socket when you don t need them? 6) Leave your phone charger on all the time, even when the battery is fully charged? 23

26 Match the energy saving top tip. Here are some energy saving top tips. Match them to where energy is lost in the home. Draw lines between them. There may be other things you can think of, talk about it with someone else. If you are working in groups, you might want to do this together. Losing energy Top tip Through your loft Out of your windows Using too much hot water Through too many lights left on Cooking tea in the kitchen Washing your clothes Heating your home In the living room In the bedroom In the garden Fit double glazing or secondary glazing Put in loft insulation Take a shower instead of a bath Use smaller pans and put lids on them when cooking Wash clothes at 30 degrees instead of 40 or 60 degrees Replace old boiler with a new one or service the old one Switch off lights when you can Turn the heating off before bed and put on a thicker duvet Fit motion sensors to outside lights Switch TV, DVD and games consoles off at the socket 24

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28 If you are finding it hard to pay your bills, speak to the company that sends you bills. For more help with paying bills or saving energy, you can find out more at these places: For help choosing the cheapest energy company Winter Fuel Payments for older people Warm Home Discount Scheme for vulnerable people Home Heat Helpline Citizens Advice - You can get lots of help here To complain about your energy supplier Speakup Self Advocacy Ltd