The council has its own specialist energy efficiency advice team which can help point you in the right direction with impartial advice on the various grant and discount schemes available to make your home more energy efficient, whether you own or rent your home.
Insulating your home can save you up to 30% off your fuel bill and reduce the amount of environmentally harmful pollutants generated. Every little helps when it comes to reducing the emissions that contribute toward global warming.
These pages offer some useful advice and guidance to reduce the amount of energy you use in your home. This can often be achieved by making some simple adjustments that will cost you little or no money.
Our energy efficiency team are happy to offer any householder of Caerphilly county borough free, impartial advice on ways to save energy at home. Just give them a call on freephone 0800 085 4145 or email energyefficiency@caerphilly.gov.uk.
Alternatively, you can complete our home energy questionnaire. This questionnaire will ask you a series of questions to assess the energy efficiency of your home. We will them contact you and offer you advice on ways you can reduce the amount of energy that you use.
Home energy questionnaire (PDF 20k)
Easy practical ways of saving energy and money at home
- Close curtains at dusk to keep heat in
- Close fridge/freezer doors as soon as possible after use
- Defrost food overnight rather than defrosting in the microwave
- Do not dry clothes on radiators; use an over-bath clothesline or clothes horse
- Only boil as much water in the kettle as you need (as long as you cover the element)
- Place clingfilm around single glazed window frames
- Place reflector panels or aluminium foil behind radiators on external walls
- Slow cookers use less energy, as do fan assisted ovens and micro-wave oven
- Switch off lights and other appliances when not in use
- Switch off the television instead of leaving it on standby
- Take a shower instead of a bath if possible
- Try to avoid placing furniture in front of radiators
- Try to put a full load into the washing machine
- Turn central heating thermostat down 1°C (but remember, keep comfortably warm). Use energy saving light bulbs
- When cooking, select the correct hob for the pan and cook with lids on saucepans, simmering instead of vigorously boiling.
Carrying out the above measures could save you over £100 annually off your fuel bills for a cost of less than £5. These measures will also prevent over a tonne of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere, helping to reduce the risk of global warming and reducing your own carbon footprint.
Insulation and heating your home
For even greater savings, a fully insulated house can reduce the heating bill by approximately 25-30% compared with an un-insulated house. There are various grants and discounts available to help you get your home insulated. These are available from the Welsh Government and fuel suppliers. Contact the energy efficiency team for more information.
Do energy saving light bulbs really work?
Yes, they save 75% to 80% of lighting costs
Can cavity wall insulation be bad for my home?
In a small number of cases it can. Please call us on freephone 0800 085 4145 or email energyefficiency@caerphilly.gov.uk. for further info.
My house has solid walls. Are grants available to insulate the walls?
Not yet. This is something the Welsh Government and fuel suppliers are looking into.
I am thinking of decking my attic floor; should I lay down insulation first?
Yes, but only up to the height of the joists (usually about four inches)