MAKING

SENSE OF
ENERGY
SAVING
February - March 2021

Welcome to our latest E-zine.

This time of year we usually see snow,

ice and storms. Great for sledging but not
so good for our fuel bills.

This e-zine has plenty of hints and tips on how to stay warm this
winter, use up those leftovers and help reduce our Carbon
Footprint without breaking the bank!

Read on to find out more!

Smoke detectors in the home - The law is changing are you

ready?

The new standard requires:

 one smoke alarm installed in the room most frequently
used for general daytime living purposes
 one smoke alarm in every circulation space on each
storey, such as hallways and landings
 one heat alarm installed in every kitchen
All alarms should be ceiling mounted and interlinked.

Where there is a carbon-fuelled appliance (such as boilers, fires

(including open fires) and heaters) or a flue, a carbon monoxide
detector is also required which does not need to be linked to the
fire alarms

You will find full information on our website Energy Saving Useful
Resources | Forth Valley Sensory Centre

or talk to Kirsty

Home improvements to help keep you warm this winter!

Four out of 10 of us are avoiding switching on the heating during

colder spells due to fears about energy bills, while a third are
reporting they cannot make their home as warm as they’d like.

Here are five top tips on how to help make your home warmer
this winter.

1. Draught-proof your home

Draught proofing is one of the cheapest and most effective ways

to save energy – and money – in any type of building.
Controlled ventilation helps reduce condensation and damp, by
letting fresh air in when needed.

To draught-proof your home, you should block up unwanted

gaps that let cold air in and warm air out. Saving warm air means
you will use less energy to heat your home, so you’ll save money
as well as making your home snug and warm.
2. Insulate your pipes

Insulating your hot water pipes is a quick and easy way to save
energy. As well as reducing heat loss from your system, pipe
lagging will also prevent pipes from getting too cold in winter,
and therefore prevents pipes bursting.

You can buy foam insulation tubes online or from a DIY store
and slip them over your pipes. In a typical 3-bed semi-detached
house, materials will cost around £20.

3. Top up your hot water cylinder insulation

Nearly all UK hot water cylinders have some insulation, however

those with a hot water tank jacket under 25mm thick could
benefit from top-up insulation. A hot water cylinder jacket costs
around £16.

4. Top up your loft insulation

The majority of homes have some loft insulation but many do not
have enough. The recommended depth is 270mm. topping up
your loft insulation from 120mm to 270mm could cost around
£240.

5. Insulate your walls

Although wall insulation is a bigger investment, and costs vary, it

can keep your home warm and cosy and result in a large saving.
Most homes built after 1920 have cavity walls by, adding cavity
wall insulation you could save up to £150 a year off your energy
bills (based on a typical 3-bedroom semi-detached house). Solid
wall insulation can save around £260 a year off your energy bills
(based on a typical 3-bedroom semi-detached house)

Source: Energy Saving Trust

For more information on how to keep your home warm talk to

Kirsty or visit our website: Energy Saving | Tips | Food Waste |
Forth Valley Sensory Centre

Knit yourself a fun draught excluder

to help keep out those cold draughts
this winter!

For knitting pattern, please click on the

link below

https://www.scribd.com/document/490032000/FVSC-
CATERPILLAR-Druaght-Excluder-Pattern
8 WAYS TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR POTATOES

1. Portion your potatoes

Buying the right amount of potatoes for your household
and cooking the right amount means a stress-free kitchen and
less waste.

 2. Green or sprouty spuds? They’re still good to eat

If your potatoes get green patches or sprouts, don’t worry – cut
those bits off and the rest is still fine to eat. A wrinkly potato
has lost most of its nutrients, but it’s still safe to eat.

3. Potato peelings make good eats

Yup. Honest. See beyond the humble peel: they make great
crisps. Sprinkle potato peelings with salt, pepper, chilli or
whatever flavour takes your fancy, and pop them in the oven
until golden and crispy.

4. Have a mash up
If you’ve got a few spuds lurking at the back of the
cupboard, boil them up and make some mash. Freeze it in
portions in separate freezer bags or reusable containers – next
time you’re in a rush, you’ll have mashed potato on standby.

5. The perfect roast potatoes

 Parboil and freeze potatoes for later. You can roast them
directly from frozen and they’re guaranteed to be crispy,
golden and delicious. 

6. Make a mean potato salad

Mix leftover boiled potatoes with mayonnaise and chopped
onions to make a tasty lunch or side. Simple!

7. Bulk it up
Leftover cooked potatoes can be added to soups to thicken
them, or omelettes for extra oomph,
or casseroles and curries along with other leftover veg to add
substance… the possibilities are endless.

8. PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: You can freeze

leftover chip shop chips
 
If you were given a bigger portion of chips than you bargained for
from the chippy, put them in the freezer and reheat them in
the oven later for extra crispy chips. Honestly, just try it!

What else can I do?

Buy only the potatoes you’ll eat, store them in the best possible
way (remember: fresh spuds like a cool, dark, airy place – not
the fridge) and you’ll be laughing.

Source: Love Food Hate Waste

Come and join our monthly Green Café to hear about all things
‘Green’! Next meeting will be -

 February 24th at 11am

 March 24th at 11am
Contact Kirsty for Zoom link to join us for a fun chat, guest
speaker and quiz.

If you would like further information on how to reduce your

energy bills, food waste or carbon emission, please contact
Kirsty and she will be happy to help!

Kirsty Banks
Project Manager
Making Sense of Energy Saving Project

E-mail: kirstybanks@forthvalleysensorycentre.org
Telephone: 07719 916050
Website: https://www.forthvalleysensorycentre.org