Winter 2011 (1.9 MB PDF) - Angus Council

Housing news
Energy Efficiency
Many homes in
Scotland are not very
energy efficient, especially
homes in rural
areas.
Your home can
become more energy
efficient if you follow
these steps:
• don’t leave appliances
on standby - turn
them off. Do not leave
lap tops and mobile
phones on charge unnecessarily;
• switch off lights
when rooms are not in use;
• close your curtains at dusk to save heat;
• turn the thermostat down by one degree and cut
10% off your fuel bills, saving around £50 per year.
If you have a programmer, set your heating and hot
water to come on only when required rather than all
the time;
• consider showering instead of taking a bath;
• when boiling a kettle, only use the water you need,
and use it immediately after boiling;
• when using the washing machine, ensure it’s full: one
full load uses less energy than two half loads;
• hang washing outside rather than using a tumble
dryer;
• defrost fridges and freezers regularly;
• remember to close the output dial (sometimes called
the boost button) on storage heaters before you go
to bed, or if you go out during the day;
• use your central heating rather than plug in electric
heaters: they’re cheaper;
• set your programmer to heat water if you have gas
heating;
• use energy saving light bulbs: they last up to ten
times longer;
• report leaking taps: a dripping hot water tap wastes
energy and in one week wastes enough hot water to
fill half a bath.
Cause and cure
Condensation—mistakenly referred
to as ‘damp’ —is particularly common
in the winter months as buildings get
colder and windows are opened less
frequently. Condensation occurs when
moisture caught in warm air comes into
contact with cold surfaces. This causes
the moisture to form water droplets.
If left, condensation can cause mould to
form and grow. While unpleasant, mould
can be removed with a mould removing
product or a very dilute solution of bleach
and water.
Simple changes to lifestyles —such
as opening windows—will reduce the
common sources of condensation such as
steam from cooking, bathing or showering,
unvented tumble dryers and drying clothes
indoors without opening windows.
If you are taking steps to minimise mould and condensation
but it still persists, you should report it to
us to investigate through the ACCESSline on 08452
777 778
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