Using energy efficiently in your home will not only mean you pay less when the bills pop through the letterbox, but it also means you’re also helping to reduce your carbon footprint.

It’s easy to miss areas where you can make energy savings, especially in some of the older Victorian homes in London which might need a few tweaks. So to help you here are five easy ways you can help the planet and your pocket.

Energy Monitoring
Buy yourself a power metre plug. You plug it into the socket and then you plug the appliance you’re using into it. It will then tell you how much energy it is using. You will learn which devices in your home use the most energy.

Research carried out by Money supermarket concluded that just by leaving eight household devices on standby or plugged into the socket could cost you as much as 60 pounds a year. Devices included phone chargers, a digital TV box, your coffee maker and your modem.

Lights
LED lights are cost-effective because they last much longer than halogen or fluorescent bulbs. This means reduced energy use and save on your electricity bill.

Water
If you are replacing your bathroom then think about buying a bathroom suite with water-saving capabilities. That means installing a water-saving bath and using water-saving showerheads, taps and mixers. Dual flush toilets also use less water when flushing.

Loft Insulation
Insulation will keep your home warm during the winter. Your energy bills will be higher in a home that isn’t well insulated because you’ll need to use higher temperatures to keep warm. If you have a loft make sure it has the right amount of insulation so that heat isn’t escaping through your roof.

Windows and Doors
Windows and doors should be well-sealed. If you are replacing old windows and doors invest in energy-efficient glazing. Window values are based on letters. For example, a U value tells you how good the glass is at keeping the heat inside your home. The lower the U value, the better. If you want glass that let the heat in from the sun then you need to choose glass with a G value of 1. Finally, the L value represents how airtight your windows are. An L value of zero means they are very efficient.