We all need to do our part in preserving the environment and one of the first places you can start is at home. Going green at home not only protects and preserves our precious energy reserves, it can also save you money on your energy bills. We’ve put together a range of useful hints of how to make your home more environmentally friendly.

·         Reduce the heat

Be conscious of your central heating. Check that the temperature is not too hot and remember to turn it down when the weather gets warmer.

·         Insulate your roof

Heat rises so it makes sense to insulate your roof to stop valuable heat from escaping.

·         Stop the draught

Windows are wonderful for letting fresh air in in summer but they can also let in the cold winter air if you don’t have draught excluders fitted. Warm air can escape through windows and cold draughts can invade your house increasing the amount of energy you use to heat your home. Fit draught excluders to your windows and you’ll stay warm all winter.

·         Stop letterbox draughts

Check to see if your letterbox is letting cold air in and hot air out.

·         Switch off

When you leave a room, remember to turn off any lights to save energy. You can also replace your ordinary light bulbs with energy efficient ones. Energy efficient light bulbs can be a bit pricier than ordinary ones but they last much longer and reduce the amount of energy you use.

·         Bleed radiators

Get your radiators working more efficiently by letting the air out. Do be careful when you do this as it can get messy.

·         Hot water

If you think your hot water is too hot, turn the thermostat down.

·         Laundry duty

Instead of doing a half load of washing, wait until you have a full load and you’ll use less water and electricity.

·         Be energy efficient

If your toaster has finally crisped its last slice of bread, think about replacing it with an energy efficient one. There is a wide range of electrical appliances available that are designed for energy efficiency.

·         Flush less

Save water with a dual flush toilet. If you’re thinking about redecorating your bathroom, consider a dual flush toilet that uses less water when flushed.

·         Shower off

A shower uses less water than a bath. You can save over 300 litres of water a week just by showering every day instead of taking a bath.

·         Unplug your mobile phone charger

Break the habit of plugging your mobile phone in and leaving it to charge overnight. Most mobile phones don’t need recharging every day. Keep an eye on your battery and recharge it only when you need to.

·         Buy an LCD monitor

If it’s time to upgrade your computer, go for a LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) monitor. It’s more energy efficient than it’s counterpart, the CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) monitor.

·         Unplugged

Don’t leave your appliances on standby. Standby uses approximately half the energy used when the appliance it turned on. So when you’ve finished watching TV, turn it off at the source so you don’t waste energy.

·         Recycle

Before you throw your rubbish in the bin, stop and think if it can be recycled. You’ll be amazed at how much of your household waste can actually be recycled. And recycling has never been easier now that there are a growing number of supermarkets providing recycling facilities.

For more information on the types of home insurance available from Churchill, visit http://www.churchill.com.