By Staff Reporter

To mark World Energy Conservation Day on 14 December, Oftec – which represents the domestic oil heating industry in Ireland – has issued its top tips to help homeowners conserve energy and save money on their energy bills. David Blevings, Ireland manager of Oftec, said: “World Energy Conservation Day is all about highlighting ways that homeowners can become more energy smart. “The tips we have issued are simple changes that homeowners can make to increase energy conservation and reduce their energy bills which is vital in the run up to Christmas.

“We have also outlined additional measures homeowners can also take which do require initial investment but these can provide even greater savings in the long term.”

Turn your thermostat down Try and keep the room at 19C. Lowering your thermostat by just 1C will knock an average of 10 per cent off your heating bill. Service your boiler If your oil boiler hasn’t been serviced recently, then you could be wasting money.

By servicing your boiler, you could improve your overall efficiency by 10 per cent and save up to €125 per year. Turn off standby By switching off those appliances that often sit on standby at the mains, such as computer screens and TVs, householders can save up to 20 per cent of their energy use. Switch to energy saving lightbulbs Consider compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) as they use a fraction of the electricity an ordinary lightbulb would use and last up to 10 times longer. Be water efficient By taking a shower instead of a bath, you’ll use a lot less hot water.

Additional measures homeowners can take to ensure better long-term cost savings include: Switch to a condensing boiler Typically operating at around 18 per cent more efficiency, homeowners could potentially save hundreds of euros a year. Fit heating controls Simple control measures including a seven-day programmer with room and cylinder thermostats and a motorised control allow you to have separate hot water and space heating. Insulate your home Injecting foam into the cavity in your wall and fitting draught stripping across doors can significantly reduce heat loss and save money.