With energy prices still high and global warming increasingly evident, we all want to use less resources in the home. While there is the option of doing major overhauls such as fitting a green heating system, for many that remains out of reach in terms of time and money. Luckily, there are several small changes you can make that will reduce your use of gas, electricity, and water and lower your annual bills.

Gas

Service your boiler

A great place to start is to service your boiler. Ensuring that it is running as efficiently as possible means that you are using the smallest amount of gas possible to power your central heating system.

Bleed your radiators

You should also make the rest of your central heating system as efficient as possible for maximum effect. Get into the habit of bleeding your radiators to remove trapped air that prevents circulation.

Draught-proof windows and doorways

There is little point improving your central heating system if the heat is going to immediately escape out of the windows and doorways. Draught-proofing key areas where hot air leaks out of and cold air comes into the building will keep your home warm for as long as possible when the heating is on.

Lower the thermostat

The most simple step to using less gas in the home is to lower the thermostat. Reducing the set temperature by just a degree could save a household £100 on their annual gas bill.

Electricity

Use LED lightbulbs

To make significant savings with your electricity usage, switch out incandescent bulbs for LED bulbs. These use far less energy and last for around 50,000 hours – ten years longer than traditional bulbs.

Switch off stand-by

Devices left on stand-by still use a surprising amount of electricity. Where possible, switch off appliances at the wall and/or unplug them when not in use. You can also use a special power strip with individual switches that allows you to turn off elements of the device but not the whole thing.

Water

Swap baths for showers

A full bath uses around double the amount of water as a ten-minute shower, so this simple swap is the most straightforward way to save more water in the home. It will also help to reduce your gas bill as you are heating less water with each wash.

Install a dual-flush toilet

Another easy change in the bathrooms is to upgrade your toilets to dual-flush options. This allows you to decide how much water you need to use for each flush, small savings that can go a long way towards reducing your overall water bill.

Change to a low-flow showerhead

A low-flow showerhead works in a similar way to a dual-flush toilet system in that it allows you to control the output so that you are using only the water you need and no more.