Most of us these days go to some efforts to recycle our waste products, whether it’s by separating plastics, cardboard and glass into the appropriate refuse bins or by saving water by turning off the tap when we brush our teeth.

However, you may not realise that leaving electrical and electronic appliances on stand-by for any length of time also wastes energy and, it is estimated that the average household could save up to £35 a year by switching off at the mains. There are products available to help cut down on stand-by costs, like stand-by savers which allow the consumer to turn off all items on stand-by in one go. Some of these are sold with timers and some have a single switch.

Since 2010, all electrical items sold in the European Union countries must comply to regulations stating that stand-by power should be under 1W. While it is true that appliances are becoming more energy efficient and are using less energy, the average household is buying more and more electronic gadgets, so it is still worth looking at stand-by energy consumption and making efforts to reduce it further.

You may have noticed plenty of television adverts or newspaper articles talking about smart meters  or read leaflets which your energy company may have posted to you.

A smart meter is the the newest kind of meter measuring your gas or electricity consumption. It’s a digital meter which is also connected to the internet, allowing your energy company to be able to read your meter at any time, without you ever having to submit a meter reading.

There are obvious advantages for the energy companies and it should help them to make savings but there are also certain benefits for the consumer too. For a start, it will eliminate estimated bills altogether but it will also help the consumer to easily look at their energy consumption at any time and make him or her aware of how much gas or electricity is being used. For those who are keen to make savings and reduce the size of their bills, then you will be able to see how much energy it takes to boil a full kettle, to leave the bedroom lights on upstairs or to use the hoover, for example. Once consumers have that kind of information then it’s possible to make informed choices on how to reduce consumption and, as a result, receive smaller bills.

An increasing number of homeowners today use woodburners as they are cheaper to run than gas, environmentally friendly and there are various models to choose from to complement your interiors.

However these stoves do produce smoke which can create ugly deposits on its glass sections and lead to dangerous build-ups in chimneys. This is why you need to follow a regular cleaning regimen for it.

1. Make sure you clean your stove at least once in three months of regular use. Follow the users’ cleaning guide so that you get acquainted with its safety precautions and fittings.

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Improving your homes efficiency is something which holds value, both for your bank account and for the rest of society (keeping them happy is always a good idea). It can be accomplished through a number of ways, some of them being more cost effective than others. For instance, having insulation installed in cavity walls and your loft and roof is very cost effective, with most estimates indicating that it will pay for itself in just a couple of years. You can also see the opposite, with double glazing taking up to 20 years for it to pay for itself with the savings you incur. There are other ways to help with your energy bills and reduce your impact on the environment by improving your home. By having solar panels, you can produce your own electricity and heat, saving you money on your energy bills, paying for itself within ten years, and help the environment. It does this by reducing your dependence on fossil fuels, as well as by not relying on the electricity relay which is national grid, the electrical resistance of which has a greater effect than for the much shorter distance offered by a independent energy supply.