Getting water to your taps uses a lot of energy, especially when it's heated up - so using less water can save you a lot of money. Use our top tips to save water inside and outside your home.
Insulating tanks, pipes and radiators
Lagging water tanks and pipes and insulating behind radiators reduces the amount of heat that escapes, so you spend less money heating water up, and hot water stays hotter for longer.
How much could you save?
Insulating your hot water cylinder is one of the easiest ways to save energy and therefore money. If you already have a jacket fitted, check the thickness, it should be at least 75mm thick. If not, it's worth treating your cylinder to a new winter coat. Fitting a British Standard jacket around your cylinder will cut heat loss by over 75% and save you around £45 a year - more than the cost of the jacket!
By slipping pipe insulation around your exposed hot water pipes you’ll keep your hot water hotter for longer. Fitting insulation to pipes is easy if the pipes are accessible; if your pipes are hard to reach, you may need professional help.
Fitting a jacket and pipe lagging will also save 230kg of carbon dioxide. Here are the figures:
| Annual saving per year | DIY cost | Time taken to pay for itself | Carbon dioxide saving per year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hot water tank jacket | Around £45 | Around £15 | Less than six months | Around 170kg |
| Primary pipe insulation | Around £15 | Around £10 | Around a year | Around 60kg |
Savings based on a gas-heated 3 bedroom semi-detached house.
How to do it
A hot water cylinder jacket costs around £15, and fitting it is a straightforward job.
Pipe insulation are foam tubes that cover the exposed pipes between your hot water cylinder and boiler, reducing the amount of heat lost and therefore keeping your water hotter for longer. It's usually as simple as choosing the right size from your local DIY store and then slipping it around the pipes.
Look for the Energy Saving Trust Recommended label if you’re buying pipe insulation – it will help you recognise the most energy efficient products you can find.
Look for Energy Saving Trust Recommended domestic pipe insulation products.
Radiator reflector panels
If you’re trying to save money on your heating bills and reduce your energy consumption, radiator reflector panels are an attractive low-cost option. Fixed behind your radiators, they reflect heat from the radiator back into the room, instead of letting the heat out through an external wall. They have most benefit when installed on uninsulated walls.
