Even if you don’t have an energy efficient washing machine there are things you can do to help reduce the impact washing your clothes has on the environment. While Energy Star-rated washing machines are the best choice, they can be pricey and aren’t affordable for everyone. The tips below will help you use less electricity, improve water flow and reduce heat loss, no matter what kind of washing machine you have.

Water filters and softeners

If the water in your area has high mineral content, installing either a water filter or a water softener will improve water flow in your washing machine. Minerals like iron will, over time, clog the screens in your washing machine’s hoses. A washing machine has two hoses, each with a screen on either end. One runs to the water source and one to the machine. If these pipes are clogged the washing machine will be slowed down and heat will be lost from the water faster, resulting in more energy used.

Manually clean hoses and screens

Even if you install a water filter or water softener, if your water has high mineral content you should manually clean your washing machine’s hoses and screens every two to three months. This will take around 15 minutes and you don’t need any special tools – just a wrench if the pipes are fitted too tightly to be unscrewed by hand. Hose filters can be washed in a mild solution of water and dishwashing liquid. If the hoses are more than a few years old, it’s a good idea to replace them altogether.

Quick tips

When doing a load of washing, use cold water. This will save a lot of energy, as most of the electricity used by washing machines is on hot water. A cold-water wash is also gentler on clothes and can minimise the running of clothes’ dyes. Be sure to find washing powder designed for a cold wash.

Don’t overload your washing machine. While washing very few items in one load will waste electricity, overloading your washing machine will make it work harder than it should.

If you’re in the market for a new washing machine and can afford it, look for one with as high an Energy Star rating as you can find.

As the season takes a turn for the worst and the cold sets in blankets, scarves, gloves, fireplaces and whatever else can keep you warm start getting used. Boilers, however, are super essential, since nobody can do without hot water in the winter. Perhaps your family has grown bigger and your demand for hot water has increased, or your current boiler has gone through significant wear and tear. Whatever the reason, you may need to purchase a new boiler.

Do you need a new boiler?

Your need for a new boiler will be dictated by your usage patterns, the age of your boiler, and expenses associated with the boiler. If your family has grown to such an extent that the water produced isn’t sufficient for everyone, say, early in the morning when you’re all preparing for work, then you certainly need a new boiler. A good rule of thumb would be to replace your boiler once every 7-10 years.

What to look out for

While there are numerous boiler types of boiler on the market, ranging in models, sizes, and types, it’s advised you purchase an energy-efficient condensing boiler. They are better for the environment, since they’re capable of reducing carbon dioxide emission by 30%, as well as better on your wallet, since their efficiency can see you saving 40% on heating bills. So, even if the price of condensing boilers is slightly steeper, its long-term effects on the environment and on your pocket make them worthwhile.

Purchasing and installing

Once you’ve determined the size of boiler you need, relative to your family’s size and hot water usage patterns, always compare boiler prices online so as to save you money. Once you’ve completed that task, have a Corgi certified boiler engineer come in to install your boiler, and be sure to ask whatever questions you may have.

With the many different heating solutions available in homes nowadays, to have any one featuring notably more often than others is a sign that you’re on to a good product. Oil filled radiators are exactly that – a very good product category that fits its function beautifully, while factoring in safety concerns. No risk of fire, no dry air, no refilling, and definitely a lower electric bill at the end of the grueling winter month. If you’re still not sold here’s a little more about oil filled radiators.

Why they’re so popular

One of the most critical features of oil-filled radiator heaters is their design and enclosure. Basically, these heaters are filled with oil that is then heated by elements. This makes them among the safest on the market, since their heating element is enclosed. What this means is that you’re far less likely to burn yourself badly by accident, or put your home at risk of fire by forgetting them on.

The next reason oil-filled radiators are so popular is due to how evenly they distribute heat, both across a room and within the heater itself. Many heaters have hotspots – areas where they heat up to dangerously high levels – while the rest of the heater is at a cooler temperature. Not only does this make for an uneven heating experience, but it means the heater is more likely to wear down in the focus area in a shorter time span.

Disadvantages

While, for the most part, oil filled radiator heaters have a lot going for them, there are one or two minor annoyances. The first annoyance is size – these heaters usually stand taller than fan heaters, while taking up more space, too. While their narrow design means this isn’t a train smash, they can be very obtrusive in certain small spaces.

A second, and perhaps more legitimate complaint, is that oil-filled radiator heaters take ages to warm a room up. While we are exaggerating how long it actually takes – ten minutes tops and you’re good to go – it’s the waiting in the cold room for that long that we don’t like.

A final complaint, and this is applicable to all heaters, really, is operational costs. Opting for an electrical heater, over a gas or even open fire heat can prove more expensive if you don’t give careful consideration to the constraints of your home.

Verdict

These disadvantages, as you’ve no doubt noticed, are irritants at worst, and negligible at best. We would recommend buying oil-filled radiators if an even, safe heating experience that doesn’t dry the air while warming the whole room is what you’re going for.

As every household around the country figures out how to best keep warm this winter, people are going through several different heating systems. The fan heater, as uninventive as it may be next to some of its fancy competition, is still one of the best heaters. The rate with which they disperse heat is quick, they are quite ideal for heating up large spaces and they take up no room in your house, unlike other heating systems.

How fan heaters work

Fan heaters work by running air over a heating element and then dispersing that heated air using a fan. What makes this particularly useful and desirable is that it allows these heaters to heat up a room very quickly, since they’re efficient about how they disperse the air, making them energy efficient too. The drawback, however, is that they can also be particularly loud – especially if they’ve gone through some wear and tear of if they are on the cheap side.

Ideal fan heating settings

Not only are fan heaters useful for winter, but once the heat is turned off they are the perfect summer fan, so really you’re  killing two birds with one stone. Fan heaters, we have found, are ideal for large rooms. Another non-heating function that fan heaters can serve is with lighting. Attaching light to your ceiling fan heater can brighten up the grey look of winter that tends to make your home and mood dull.

If you want a heater to place in your bedroom or office – assuming it is moderate in size – a small fan heater is the way to so. A popular use for the small fan heater is to place it by your feet at your desk, since the direct heat will do wonders for one’s feet, which, as you know, don’t love cold weather.

Shopping for a fan heater

When out shopping for a fan heater, there are a number of factors you need to consider. Outside of the obvious factors like price and size, you need to consider how much noise it makes. If it’s so loud that it makes having it on unbearable, then it is certainly no good. Furthermore, certain models can rotate on the spot, which, while not necessary, is a huge plus for even quicker heat distribution, as well as accommodating other people who may share a room with you.

Finally, and this rule applies to all, make sure it has built-in safety measures like auto-off when room temperature hits a certain level so as to avoid unnecessary overheating and hazards of that sort.

Combination boilers – combi boilers for short – account for more than 50 per cent of all boiler sales here in the UK and for good reason. They are more space efficient than conventional boilers, and more energy efficient, too. This means that, in the long run, the impact your boiler has on the environment is greatly reduced, not to mention the reduction of impact on your wallet too. Why the excitement about combi boilers? Read on.

Why the fuss?

Combi boilers, as their name suggests, combine the two key elements of boiling into one unit. They’re both a water heating unit and a central heating unit in one, therefore offering a significant size reduction on conventional boilers (which store water in separate copper cylinders).

Good for your pocket and the environment

What this reduction in size means is that combi boilers typically tend to be compact, so much so that you can hang them on a kitchen wall, or most anywhere without them being obtrusive. This has the direct effect of making installation cheaper and less disruptive than it would otherwise be with a conventional boiler.

Further saving is made on water heating expenses, since this products efficiency, coupled with the combining of the central heating unit and water heating unit into one, means unnecessary energy duplication is avoided. And the saving is significant with your heating expenses being reduced by a potential 40 per cent, while the environmental effects of carbon dioxide emission are being lessened by up to 30 per cent.

How to shop for one

Since combination boilers aren’t something shopped for frequently, the price of the exact same boiler from two different retailers can differ by as much as 250 per cent. As such, we always recommend you fire up a price comparison site, and check the combi boiler price of the specific boiler you’re looking at against a few different retailers.

Once that’s done, always remember to get a Corgi certified engineer to install your combination boilers. Here’s to warmer days indoors with combi boilers!

The world has finally acknowledged we need to try repair the damage we’ve caused to our planet, as well as be more efficient in how we consume goods and energy. One area where green technology is big business is in the lighting field, with many people abandoning older light bulb designs for more energy-efficient halogen lights. But what are the most energy efficient light bulbs out there, and how well do halogen lights fare?

Is halogen lighting efficient?

Halogen lights are efficient, but like most things, this comes with a disclaimer. When compared to incandescent lights (standard lights, if you will) halogen lights use up to 20 per cent less energy and can last between 2,000 and 6,000 hours, meaning less halogen lights need to be produced, since they need less frequent replacement. However, halogen lights are not the most efficient form of lighting available on the market.

Fluorescent lights

Compact fluorescent lights are the most energy-efficient light bulbs, being ten times more efficient than the incandescent lights. However, they are not without their shortcomings. They produce a reduced lighting area. Furthermore, fluorescent lights aren’t as easy on the eye as halogen lights.

Buying recommendation

If you’re looking exclusively for energy-efficient light bulbs, then compact fluorescent lights are undoubtedly the better purchase. However, people don’t generally buy lights on the basis of saving energy – lights are in homes for specific functions. Halogen lights replicate many of the qualities of incandescent lights, such as being easy on the eyes, and are ideal for most lighting situations. Due to their growing support, halogen lights are significantly easier to find in stores than fluorescent lights, with a wider range of choices being found, compared to fluorescent lights. From colour temperature, to wattage, and the like, halogens come up tops.

For these reasons, we would recommend you buy halogen lights for the home. But the quality gap between fluorescent lights and incandescent ones is closing rapidly, so you’re likely to have a wider range of energy-efficient lighting options to choose from in future.

Induction hobs are becoming serious contenders in the kitchen space as they offer some definite advantages over the more traditional gas hob. Induction cooking is a great way to green your kitchen as an induction hob uses up to 90 per cent of the energy it produces, compared to a scant usage of 50 per cent by gas hobs. Here are some good reasons to opt for induction cooking that may persuade even the most ardent gas purist.

How conduction cooking works

Cooking, as we all know, is a matter of heating up raw food. What’s good about induction cooking is that, unlike other cooking methods, it doesn’t involve heat that’s transferred to pots or pans, but rather makes the pot or pan you’re using the generator of heat itself. Induction hobs use some smart technology to ensure that they’re energy efficient. Their power coils produce an electromagnetic field that penetrates whatever you’re cooking in, and nothing else is affected by this heat – so you don’t waste power.

Faster than the speed of gas

There are many gas purists out there who wouldn’t dream of cooking with anything other than gas. Gas hobs are fast and accurate when it comes to cooking temperatures. Induction hobs, though, are even faster than gas, – up to five times as fast – which may surprise some people. The biggest benefit of faster heating is that it really saves time in the kitchen, and in a fast-paced world, many cooks are pressed for time as it is without having to wait for a cooker to heat up.

The pros and cons

One of the biggest pros when it comes to using an induction hob, besides speed, is how easy it is to clean. The reason for this is that any spills don’t get baked into the surface of the hob because the heat is contained to the pot or pan you’re using, unlike gas hobs, which can get quite messy. Their already good energy efficiency is increased by the fact that as soon as they’re turned off, they cool down very quickly. This also makes them a safe option when it comes to potential burns.

There’s only really one con when it comes to induction hobs, and that is their price. They’re quite a bit more expensive than gas hobs, but we think prices will come down rapidly as they gain in popularity. And we’re pretty sure they will become wildly popular.

Anyone who’s been through the task of cleaning an oven must love the idea of an oven that does it all for you. On second thoughts, though, it does all sound a little too good to be true. If you’re wondering whether these self-cleaning appliances are a way to revolutionise your time in the kitchen, or are simply a waste of time and money, read on to answer the question ‘Do self-cleaning ovens work?’

How do they work?

It’s simpler than you might think – self-cleaning ovens simply heat up to temperatures that burn the dirt into an ash that’s easy to wipe away with a damp cloth. You’re saved the trouble of trying to clean off all of those greasy marks inside your oven with costly and messy cleaning products.

What about energy use?

All that extra heat sounds like it’s going to end up costing a lot on your power bill, but the good news is that self-cleaning ovens are actually more energy efficient than regular cookers. That’s because they have more insulation to reduce the chance of fire.

Helping out your self-cleaning oven

If self-cleaning ovens still sound too good to be true, consider that you may need to give them some help now and then: small stains can easily be dealt with by the high heat, but you’ll help the process along by wiping away larger messes before beginning the self-cleaning. This will also reduce the amount of smoke that results from burning up mess in the oven.

So – what’s the verdict?

So, do self-cleaning ovens work? Yes, but they have their drawbacks, and they can’t take care of the whole job of cleaning your oven, every time. For everyday cleanliness, though, a self-cleaning oven is a great help when you’re busy and just don’t have to time to do the oven-cleaning chore yourself.

Energy Star is a labelling system that was set up by the US government to help consumers choose products that work efficiently, lowering greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. Products you can find with an Energy Star rating include household appliances, electronic goods, lighting and lighting equipment, building products, and just about anything else you could think of.

Energy Star in Europe

Energy Star is a programme based on a partnership between the US Department of Energy and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and manufacturers and retailers. The Energy Star label appears on a range of goods available in Europe, but with new cooperation between the EU and the EPA, the EU has now started to encourage people to buy products with the Energy Star label.

What the Energy Star rating means

A product with an Energy Star rating will use less energy, while working just as well as other products. Energy Star TVs, for example, use up to 30 per cent less energy than other models, and fluorescent lighting uses 70 per cent less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs.

Photo: ShareGraphic

The best Energy Star rating is A++, but you won’t find that on every appliance you’re looking for. Aim, in general, for an A rating or better.

Energy Star kitchen appliances

To help you get started in joining the Energy Star initiative, we’ve compiled a list of kitchen appliances with good ratings. For an A energy rating washing machine, consider Bosch’s range. Many of their models are rated A or higher. When it comes to choosing a fridge, Samsung have a very good range for energy efficiency. Smeg have a good range of dishwashers, and Belling have a good range of cookers.

For more on Energy Star in the EU, visit the EU Energy Star website.

Every family needs something different when it comes to choosing a washing machine. To help you decide on the best washing machine for you, we’ve compiled a guide to washers by one of the biggest and best known appliance manufacturers out there: LG. Whether you have a very big family, a member of your family suffers from allergies, or you’re concerned about the environment – or all of the above – there’s an LG washing machine out there for you.

Saving water and electricity

Installing high-efficiency washing machines like those by LG can reduce your family’s water consumption by up to 30 per cent. Besides being good for the environment, reduced water consumption will also be good for your pocket. Switching to a more efficient washing machine can save you around £11 on electricity bills a year, and your carbon footprint will also be considerably lower.

The size of your family

Photo: Energy Star

The first thing to consider when choosing a washing machine is the size of your family. A bigger family needs a bigger washing machine, but at the same time, you don’t want your utility bills to skyrocket. LG washing machines can handle the biggest of families, or wash small, single loads economically. For a big family, take a look at the LG F1443KD Direct Drive. It has an A++ Energy Star Rating, and takes an 11kg load. For the single person, the 7 kg LG F1256QD Direct Drive, with an A+ Energy Star rating, is a good option. An 8-10 kg washing machine is recommended for a family of medium size, but for any family that washes often, a smaller washing machine will be your best bet.

Allergies

If someone in your family suffers from allergies, your family needs a washing machine approved by the British Allergy Foundation. Many LG washing machines have the British Allergy Seal of Approval, because they reduce allergens your family will be exposed to by the washing process. If you’re looking for British Allergy Approved washing machine, try a steam washer like the LG F1403FDS5.