Energy saving tips please!

Sep 1 2008 by Denis Kilcommons

I HAVE been looking at tips to save on power around the house now that electric and gas cost so much.

Like turning the central heating down a degree or two and never leaving electrical appliances on standby.

During evenings I now sound like an air raid warden from the Second World War as I stroll around shouting at Maria to switch that light out and I am thinking of buying two miner’s helmets with candle holders at the front so we can read in the dark without having to use electricity at all.

So far, however, she is resisting wiring up the TV to an exercise bike so she can watch Coronation Street in the saddle as she generates pedal power.

Of course, you can take these attempted savings to ridiculous lengths during the winter like wearing your overcoat indoors and never turning on the gas fire whilst living on sandwiches so you don’t have to switch on the oven, except that I suspect more than one or two pensioners may be in exactly this position.

I have also fitted a few of the new fangled energy saving light bulbs. But do other people have the same problem with them that I do? They are so long and cumbersome they don’t fit some lamps and protrude from others as if they were sculpted by Gaudi.

Why can’t they make them more neat and tidy?