Energy saving tip.

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wagon ropes
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Energy saving tip.

Postby wagon ropes » Mon Sep 15, 2008 3:45 pm

Don't use the hot tap unless you want hot water.

Our house is fitted with lever taps and, up until 3 months ago, they were always left set to 'hot'. Having realized how much gas had gone up in price I decided to try setting all the taps on 'cold' so that if one just wanted to rinse something out or whatever no hot water was drawn out of the tank to just sit in the pipes and go cold again. To my amazement over those 3 months our need to renew the gas bottles has dropped from two every 4 weeks to less than one per calendar month. Even I think it seems too good to be true which is why I have not posted this tip before but now I think I can say it really does make that much difference.

Does anyone else have a real 'hot tip' for energy saving? Other than staying in bed that is :lol:
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Postby Devils Advocate » Mon Sep 15, 2008 3:54 pm

I like that one :idea:, thanks for sharing!..........here's one in return.

When you have finished your ironing don't just unplug it and let it go cold.
Balance it upside down on a specially made frame and throw an egg on it and a rasher or two of streaky bacon, saves 15 minutes worth of gas/electricity.
Have also tried it with a flapjack mix but it never worked and made the handle all sticky :(

DA
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wagon ropes
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Postby wagon ropes » Mon Sep 15, 2008 4:33 pm

Sometimes the brilliant riposts on this forum just amaze me :roll:
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Postby Devils Advocate » Mon Sep 15, 2008 4:46 pm

Sorry you feel like that, apologies, it was only a daft tip which may suit some and not others, as I only like one egg it's fine by me.
I thought your posting was in fact a breath of fresh air after the "nosey" posts that are rife at present but when I looked at it I was a bit dissapointed really.

All you are saying in your tip is if you want cold water have the tap pointing at the blue bit, if you want hot make sure it's pointing at the red.
I'd have hazzarded a guess quite a few people knew that already :roll:

DA
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wagon ropes
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Postby wagon ropes » Mon Sep 15, 2008 4:52 pm

Not quite that. It's the times when you don't mind what heat the water is that you should default to cold, perhaps you are right and other people already do. Still I thought it was worth a mention.
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Postby Devils Advocate » Mon Sep 15, 2008 4:55 pm

No problem, I thought your posting was tongue in cheek :oops: , hence my reply.
Me, it doesn't matter where the tap is pointing because if my boiler doesn't feel like playing ball you get what you get 8)

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gas

Postby julian » Mon Sep 15, 2008 5:05 pm

if your experiment has been over the last 3 months, then you may find that the saving is because generally people shower in nearly cold water in the summer , and amost boiling hot water in the winter, I use much more gas in the winter months.

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Postby Paula » Mon Sep 15, 2008 5:06 pm

I'm obsessive, all my taps must point the same way, to the right which is cold. OH always leaves them pointing to hot. He also leaves every light on, doors open, fills the kettle to the brim, and leaves TVs etc on standby. Guess he isn't very green :cry:

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Postby jennyshaw » Mon Sep 15, 2008 5:13 pm

Also Julian the water from the ground is warmer in the summer months so does'nt take as long to heat up, visa versa for the winter.
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Postby Alan-LaCala » Tue Sep 16, 2008 9:44 am

Gas bottles always last longer in the summer because the pressure is higher.

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Postby Jool » Tue Sep 16, 2008 9:48 am

So would putting a lagging jacket on the gas bottles to keep them warmer make them last longer in the winter too?

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Postby Colinm » Tue Sep 16, 2008 1:12 pm

One thing that always annoys me, is the length of time (and therefore the volume of water) wasted waiting for the hot water to reach the bathroom tap, from the gas water heater :cry:

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Postby Chinksy » Tue Sep 16, 2008 2:03 pm

If it annoys you that much why don't you move the boiler closer to the bathroom tap :idea:

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Postby Jool » Tue Sep 16, 2008 2:37 pm

Use a plastic water container for the pre-water while its warming up and put that on your garden,,,,bit fiddly and cumbersome but your green halo would be shining brightly.......

My questions was serious, if gas pressure is higher because it is warmer would keeping the bottles at a warmer temp help conserve gas? An old duvet would work for lagging......

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Postby bunty » Tue Sep 16, 2008 4:04 pm

I have found that the gas bottle lasts much longer since we put in a new gas heater...the type which doesn't have the flame constantly burning.
The new one only uses gas when the hot water is being used.

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Postby wagon ropes » Tue Sep 16, 2008 4:17 pm

I'm hopeful that my experiment will pay even greater dividends in the winter when any wasted hot water lurking in the pipes and going cold will have been replaced by even colder water which has to be heated.

Anyway I intend to continue the test and will let you all know if it continues to halve my gas bills. Heres hoping :lol: After all, for that sort of saving it has got to be worth a try.
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Postby katy » Tue Sep 16, 2008 4:32 pm

Any tips on saving water..hot or cold? Just received water bill 115 euros for 2 months :?

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Postby Paula » Tue Sep 16, 2008 4:42 pm

Share the shower :wink:

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Postby keddyboy » Tue Sep 16, 2008 4:42 pm

Put in solar heating system, after initial expense hot water fro nothing!!
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Postby Wicksey » Tue Sep 16, 2008 4:51 pm

I'm sure you are probably right Waggon Ropes as we gave up trying to use the hot water for a quick rinse of the hands years ago. Our gas tank that serves the boiler lasts around 2 months in the winter and 3 months in the summer. Our boiler is only about 2m from the main bathroom but it seems to take forever to get hot water through to the tap.

Katy do you have toilet cisterns that have the dual flush so you don't have to use the whole tankful each time? Having lived in a house with no water supply at all (had to use rain water collected from the roof and water deliveries (very expensive) in the summer) we have never got out of the habit of being really careful. We only ever use the washing machine and dishwasher when it is full up, don't run the water whilst we are standing there brushing our teeth etc etc..... common sense things really. I was appalled when I went to a friend's house to walk her dog after she had left for a holiday and found the (12 place setting) dishwasher had just finished a full cycle with just 2 mugs, 2 spoons and 2 cereal bowls in it!


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