3 Brookfield House, Wilmslow Road, Cheadle, SK8 1HJ

Increasing the thickness of existing insulation up to 160?mm around the hot water cylinder will help to maintain the water at the required temperature; this will reduce the amount of energy used and lower fuel bills. A cylinder jacket is a layer of insulation that is fitted around the hot water cylinder. The jacket should be fitted over the top of the existing insulation and over any thermostat clamped to the cylinder. Hot water pipes from the hot water cylinder should also be insulated, using pre-formed pipe insulation of up to 50?mm thickness, or to suit the space available, for as far as they can be accessed to reduce losses in summer. All these materials can be purchased from DIY stores and installed by a competent DIY enthusiast.

Replacement of traditional light bulbs with energy saving recommended ones will reduce lighting costs over the lifetime of the bulb, and they last up to 12 times longer than ordinary light bulbs. Also consider selecting low energy light fittings when redecorating; contact the Lighting Association for your nearest stockist of Domestic Energy Efficient Lighting Scheme fittings.

Modern storage heaters are much less expensive to run than the direct acting, on-peak heating system in the property. A dual-rate electricity supply is required to provide the off-peak electricity that these heaters use; this is easily obtained by contacting the energy supplier. Ask for a quotation for fan-assisted heaters with automatic charge control. A dual-immersion cylinder, which can be installed at the same time, will provide cheaper hot water than the system currently installed. As installations should be in accordance with the national wiring standards, only a qualified electrician should carry out the installation. Building Regulations apply to this work, so Building Control should be informed, unless the installer is registered with a competent persons scheme?, and can therefore self-certify the work for Building Regulation compliance. Ask a qualified electrical heating engineer to explain the options, which might also include switching to other forms of electric heating.