Dress smart, not pretty!

This current cold spell has been named the ‘Troll from Trondheim’; and on Radio 4 on Sunday a resident of Trondheim in Norway explained that the way to beat the chill is to ‘dress smart, not pretty’ to help keep you warm and cosy.

Dressing for the season was the norm before widespread adoption of central heating systems within homes. This is a practice which many seem to have forgotten or consider unnecessary.

It’s common practice in cold outdoor environments to ‘layer up’, and this is equally as important indoors as outdoors, particularly when it is very cold outside.

You may be surprised at how much more comfortable you feel with some additional layers.

Layering up your clothes

Start with thermal underwear: a long-sleeved thermal top and thermal leggings or long johns.

For your top half, ideally next a rollneck jumper or similar to keep the neck area cosy, followed by a jumper/hoody, then ideally a sleeveless vest top/gilet (zipped is good) to keep the body core extra warm. You can top off with a fleece jacket.

For your bottom half a pair of warm trousers (fleece is excellent); and if you’re still chilly, add an additional pair of trousers.

Feet, hands and head

Keep your feet, hands and head warm as well as your core.

Thick thermal socks (e.g. heat warmers) on top of your normal socks work well; and a pair of fingerless gloves will keep your hands warm whilst still enabling you to use them.

Top off with a warm hat like a beanie.

If you don’t have enough warm clothes or you’re concerned about keeping warm enough please get in touch with us at Tamar Energy Community on 0800-233-5414 or email hello@tamarenergycommunity.com.

If you’re warm enough and not wearing a jumper indoors, we suggest you help the power grid which is struggling to meet demand at the moment, and your pocket, by turning it down and adding some layers!

You can download this article here

LEDs … Festive and day-to-day lighting

LED bulbs are far less expensive to run than the more traditional incandescent (or tungsten) and halogen alternatives.

As an example, a traditional 60w incandescent bulb used for an hour and a half per day over a year would cost £11.18p based on the energy price guarantee price of 34p per unit.

An equivalent LED bulb (around 8.5 watts) would cost £1.58 per year to run and is likely to cost £2.50 or less to buy.

If you replace your old incandescent bulb with an LED you’ll save approximately £8.50 in your first year.

Not sure what sort of bulbs you have?

LED bulbs do not get hot. They put more or less all the energy into generating light.

If you have light bulbs which are hot to the touch (don’t touch them directly as you might get burnt, but put your hand close to them) then they are not LEDs.

A rule of thumb is that a halogen or incandescent bulb is likely to cost around 10 times the cost of an LED, and you can recoup the cost within the first year.

Festive lighting

Christmas is a time of year when many people are lighting their homes with Christmas tree lights; and some of us may have displays outside.

Calculations made by Wizer Energy suggest that households that include LED Christmas lights (25 metres of LEDs), outdoor LED rope lights and an LED rope light decoration outside could add £15.70 a month to your electricity bill this winter assuming they are on for 8 hours a day; which would increase to £49.05 if your lights are incandescent rather than LED.

If you’re concerned about managing your energy bills this winter, you may want to consider how much you invest in your festive lighting.

Lighting your tree with 25 metres of LEDs may only cost you 50p for the month of December. The external lights will cost more.

Wizer Energy calculations in more detail

Christmas Tree Lights – The Difference between LED & Incandescent

Most UK households will use 2 sets of LED fairy lights to brighten up their tree/trees around the house, which equates to around 25 metres of length; If you leave the lights on between 4pm-12am you can expect to pay around £0.0163 per day for the luxury, that works out at around 50p for the entire month of December. 

However, the older incandescent bulbs are far more expensive. Yes they may look nice, but a string of lights with 100 bulbs will consume roughly 40 watts, which would cost you £0.1088 per day, or £3.37 per month, an increase of £2.87!

“Generally speaking you’ll see the older incandescent bulbs in the homes with an older age profile, they may not even be aware that these lights are costing them a fortune as they’ve presumably had them for quite some time. If you’re popping in to visit the Grandparents in the next few weeks it might be time to swap out the old lights for some LEDs.”

Outdoor Rope Lights

Lining the outside of your house with rope lights is a trend that has only grown in popularity over the past 10-15 years and it should be no surprise that these lights are some of the biggest energy consumers. LED rope lights usually consume around 1 watt per foot, so a 50 metre length of rope light that’s left on for 8 hours a day is going to cost you £0.4461, or £13.82 for the month of December. 

Again, the incandescent bulbs are far more expensive – the same length of lighting nearly triples the price, as these bulbs would use around 3 watts per foot, working out at £1.34 per day or £41.54 for the month.

Outdoor Decorations

Outdoor rope light decorations are another common sight across the country, take this Reindeer & Sleigh decoration from the Range for example –

“These decorations can be a little bit deceptive as they are relatively inexpensive, not too big and look great in front of the house – however they utilise LED rope lights too, this one features around 5m of rope light, which means it’ll cost you £0.04 to run for 8 hours, or around £1.38 for the month” 

Calculations

– Monthly Cost –

 LEDS – 25 metres of fairy lights (£0.50) + 50 metre of outdoor rope light (£13.82) + 1 Outdoor Decoration (£1.38) = £15.70

INCANDESCENT BULBS – 100 bulbs @ 40 w (£3.37) + 50m of rope light, 3w per foot (£41.54) + 1 Outdoor Decoration (£4.14) = £49.05

 “Our advice – If you have any older, incandescent style bulbs left, get rid of them! They’re costing you a fortune in comparison to the LED equivalents.”

More about our Exhibitors


New Generation Energy – Renewable Energy Solutions

Designing, supplying, installing and maintaining bespoke renewable energy systems for the past nine years with an emphasis on customer satisfaction and an ethos of ongoing support and maintenance for our current and future client base.

Established in 2007 by Andrew Metcalf and based in the South West we have installed hundreds of renewable systems, from small photovoltaic arrays to large commercial biomass boilers and are MCS accredited for all our technologies.


Lendology cicLending decisions for people, by people

Lendology CIC disrupt traditional lending with our decisions powered by partnerships and people, enriching homes, and lives through affordable finance. 

Working in partnership with West Devon Borough Council, we lend council funds to homeowners for home repairs, improvements, renewable energy measures and to improve the energy efficiency of homes. 

Unlike other mainstream lenders, Lendology doesn’t use algorithms or credit scores. People make lending decisions for people.  They believe that everyone should have access to a home that is safe, warm, and suitable for their individual needs and works across the community to enable this, reduce fuel poverty and establish the link between health and homes.  If you are worried about the rising cost of energy, we recommend taking action now to ensure your central heating is working and that your home is as energy efficient as possible.

Lendology will be available until 14:00 on Sat. 12th November.


Lovely Savings – A Utility Warehouse Partner

Lovely Savings, a Discount Club helping families and small businesses save money on their essentials


Devon Wildlife Trust – Protecting wildlife for the future

Devon Wildlife Trust logo

Established over fifty years ago by a small group of volunteers, Devon Wildlife Trust is the only charity that exists to protect all wildlife in Devon and to safeguard Devon’s unique natural environment.


NEA – National Energy Action – Action for Warm Homes

From October, with the government’s price freeze in effect, National Energy Action predicts 6.7 million UK households will be in fuel poverty. It means they cannot afford to live in a warm, dry  and safe home. National Energy Action is the national charity working to end fuel poverty in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Find out more about the challenge we face, the difference we make, and the difference you can make.




Transition Tavistock – Working towards a sustainable future for Tavistock and District

Local travel as it could be?

Our meetings share views on how easy it is to use sustainable transport around the Tavistock area and to nearby towns – and ideas on how it could be better and more inclusive. Frequent, well-connected public transport in all directions; easy to walk, use a wheelchair or cycle to reach facilities; leading rather than lagging in the shift to low emission vehicles for both personal and business travel? What changes would you make?

We’re keen to involve individuals, groups and businesses who want to shape this vision for mobility, influence decisions and encourage low-carbon travel habits. Whether your concern is potholed pavements or diesel fumes, cycle safety or bus routes, get in touch on travel@transitiontavistock.org.uk.


Tavistock Neighbourhood Plan

Have your say on the future of the parish of Tavistock

A Neighbourhood Development Plan gives the residents of Tavistock and surrounding areas a say on how the community develops, how land will be used and how we can protect what’s important to us. We can address topics like affordable housing, community infrastructure, protecting green spaces and more.



Helping others through the energy crisis

Energy conversations

The energy crisis has encouraged more of us to think about energy and our usage, and the impact on our communities, businesses, and energy security in general. This growing interest is welcomed.

We encourage conversations amongst friends, family, neighbours and within the community to share knowledge and understanding; and importantly, as a way of checking in with others.

Concern for others

If you have concerns for someone within your community or close circle you can, with their permission, refer them to Tamar Energy Community (TEC) for an energy advice call or home visit.

Triggers for concern may include:

  • a cold, draughty home; in a poor state of repair; damp and mould
  • a householder struggling to afford daily essentials; living in one room to avoid heating the house; using room heaters instead of central heating

It can make a real difference to someone’s life if help can be offered and is welcomed.

Getting more involved

You may have an interest in volunteering and getting more involved in helping local people, including spreading the word. Support with social media, events and data management welcomed.

We can also offer community talks/drop-ins; or you may be interested in becoming a community energy champion.

Donating to Energy Crisis Funds

If you’re in a position to comfortably manage the increase in Energy bills this Winter, you may consider opting to donate your Energy Bill rebate to those in need.

An option is a donation through National Energy Action (https://www.nea.org.uk/support-us/donate-the-rebate/ ).

If you would like your payment to go directly to residents of West Devon, you could donate to TEC’s crisis fund. This support is offered to the most vulnerable local residents and ensures that 100% of the donation goes directly to support people who are genuinely struggling. Find out more here: https://tamarenergycommunity.com/get-involved/donate/

To find out more or get in touch call in to see us at the Tamar Energy Fest on Nov 12th (Butchers’ Hall: 10:00-15:00).

Draught busting and glazing

It’s getting much cooler in the evenings now and you might be starting to feel any draughts you have in your home. A draft is usually a sign of inadequate insulation which allows cold air to enter a home while warm air will leave the same way.

On average 15-20% of the heat loss from a home will be as a result of draughts.

Some ventilation or airflow into a home is important. This is particularly true of rooms where high levels of damp air are generated such as bathrooms and kitchens. These should be ventilated to prevent the warm damp air collecting on colder walls and condensing which can result in damp and mould. Hydrostatic extraction fans work well in these areas. They are generally low powered and only come on when humidity levels are high.

Ventilation is also essential in rooms with open fires and open flues.

How to find draughts

A good way to start to find draughts in your home is to choose a cold breezy day, and walk around your home, holding the back of your hand up to the gaps around doors, windows, light fittings, your letterbox, loft hatches and cat flaps. External doors are often a priority; and you may also find draughts coming between the wall and the window/door frame, and windowsills. Chimneys can also be a source of draughts if not in use.

Dealing with draughts

There are different ways of dealing with draughts, many of which can be low cost and DIY. These include letter box brushes, door brushes for the bottom of doors and draught strips for around windows and doors.

Chimney balloons/sheep can be used for chimneys but be sure to follow the instructions and remember they are there.

Draughtex can be a good solution for filling in the gaps between floorboards and can be easily removed if needed: https://www.draughtex.co.uk/

A good reference is a guide from the Centre of Sustainable Energy: https://www.cse.org.uk/advice/advice-and-support/diy-draught-proofing

Glazed areas and insulation

The glazed areas of your home (windows and doors) can be a source of heat loss, particularly if single glazed, or where double glazing is old or has failed (e.g. you have misting between the glazing layers).

Secondary glazing can be less expensive than replacing your existing glazing. There are a number of options which include:

  • Glazing film – a sort of cling film attached to the window which needs to be reapplied each winter
  • A sheet of Perspex material attached to the inside of the window. Designed well it can be reused each year. Magnaglaze is a version of this. It uses magnetic strips attached to the window frame, and strips attached to a sheet of Perspex cut to size. This allows the secondary glazing to be removed easily.
  • A more expensive solution is to have an internal window fitted. This can be a solution in situations such as listed properties where double/triple glazing is not favoured.

Heavy curtains and thermal blinds can also help keep the heat in but remember not to let them cover the radiator.

Sources of information

There are a number of different sources of information if you want to find out more including:

Helping our Purses and the Grid

You may have heard discussion about the potential for energy blackouts and whether householders and businesses should be encouraged to ‘turn it down’ or ‘shift demand’.

The likelihood of blackouts is, we understand, remote.

The opportunity for turning down and/or shifting demand is real, considerable and can save you money.

One of the causes of the energy crisis is increasing global demand for energy and a restricted supply of gas. This impacts us here in the UK because our gas fuelled power stations get switched on and/or turned up to help generate enough power to meet times of peak demand; and this power is the most expensive.

One way of helping reduce this impact is if we all do what we can to reduce our demand for power at peak times by doing things differently. This should also save you money. A “win-win” outcome!

Opportunities within the household

The peak period for power use is between 16:00 and 20:00. This is when many households come back to the home and/or are thinking about an evening meal, household tasks and settling down for the evening.

Whenever you can, consider how you might be able to do things differently!

Slow cookers and microwaves rather than ovens and hobs

There are several options for cooking food using appliances with a lower power rating. These include microwaves and slow cookers. They can also save you time and will save you money. For example preparing a meal in a slow cooker and/or using a microwave for cooking food could cost a tenth of using the hob or the oven. This really adds up over a week and a month.

Washing machines, tumble dryers, dishwashers etc.

We would encourage those of you who can, not to use household appliances such as washing machines and tumble dryers during the peak periods, but at other times of the day.

Additional incentives

The National Grid is working with energy suppliers to roll out a scheme called the Demand Flexibility Service. This will enable households with a smart meter to take part in a national turn down during peak hours. We understand that this will take place on twelve occasions between November and March, with an incentive payment of £100 for households who take part.

Octopus Energy and Ovo Energy have now announced their schemes. They are being marketed as ‘Saving Sessions’ and ‘Power Move’ respectively. Other energy suppliers are expected to follow.

The importance of smart meters

These initiatives emphasise the importance of having a smart meter installed. Your smart meter should help you better understand your usage through your In-Home-Display monitor; and can also enable you to participate in schemes such as the Demand Flexibility Service.

Find out more?

If you’d like to find out more about reducing/switching your demand check out the links in this article and below. You are also welcome to come along to the Okehampton Energy & Retrofit Fair on Oct 22nd 2022 (Ockment Centre: 10:00-14:00) or Tamar Energy Fest on Nov 12th 2022 (Butchers’ Hall: 10:00-15:00).

Useful links and further information

There is further information about plans from the National Grid here. Please note that this is aimed at organisations within the power supply industry and contains a number of technical terms.

Tamar Energy Community was a partner in a National Grid project pre-Covid called Open LV. This was also looking at the levels of household energy demand through the day, and the opportunities for reducing this. There is more information about this project here: The Power in Your Hands – OpenLV.

Our autumn energy advice and retrofit programme

Are you interested in energy saving and improving the energy efficiency of your home or business?

Come along to one of our events and have a chat …

You may be thinking about options for saving energy and improving the energy efficiency of your home (retrofitting), but not sure where to start.

Here at Tamar Energy Community we’d like to see what we can do to help. We’ve arranged a number of events to meet you and have a chat, with information stands to browse.

We’re kicking off in Great Big Green Week with an information display in Tavistock Library, available from Sat. 24th September through to Sat. 1st October. You can also find us on the 24th Sept at Tavistock Farmers Market (tbc) and the Okehampton Coffee Morning.

We’re going online on Fri. 30th Sep (19:00) with a discussion about retrofitting your home (or business) in practice. You can book via Eventbrite. Here’s the link: https://Retrofitting-Your-Home-In-Practice-Sep22.eventbrite.co.uk

Our first Energy and Retrofit Fair in Okehampton will be at the Ockment Centre on Sat. 22nd October (10:00-14:00). You can find out more here: https://tamarenergycommunity.com/okehampton-retrofit-and-energy-fair-2022/ ; and our annual Tamar Energy Fest will be at Butchers’ Hall in Tavistock on Sat. 12th November (10:00-15:00). You can find out more here: https://tamarenergycommunity.com/tamar-energy-fest-2022/

Do come along!

If you would like to host our information display in a community space local to you, get in touch and we’ll see what we can arrange. Email hello@tamarenergycommunity.com.

Preparing for 1st April energy price increase

The energy price increases are affecting all of us and are having the greatest impact on those for whom energy costs form a greater proportion of their income.

As the 1st April 2022 approaches, and the new prices kick in, there are a couple of things to consider:

Not on a smart meter? Have you given your energy supplier an actual meter reading recently? If not, make sure you send them a meter reading on or before the 31st March. This will ensure that any usage is charged at the old rate. Otherwise you may end up paying more.

On a ‘non-smart’ pre-payment meter? The rates on your meter shouldn’t increase until you add more credit. This means that if you add additional money on to your meter on or before 31st March 2022 this will charge your use at the old rate until you top up again. Remember that the units will be ‘re-priced’ on your meter when you top up after 1st April, even if you still have credit.

We understand that this won’t work if your supplier is Scottish Power.

Martin Lewis’s Money Saving Expert website explains this well. You can find the link here.

Concerned about ability to pay? If you’re concerned about how you’re going to be able to pay your energy bills, or if you’ve built up a debt, its really important to contact your energy supplier, let them know, and ask them to work with you to find an affordable solution. The energy companies are obliged, under Ofgem regulations, to take affordability into account.

Reducing your energy usage. For those of us in a position where we could use less, this is worth considering. The amount of energy consumed, particularly during peak periods, puts pressure on energy supply and on the prices. This is particularly true in the period between 16:00 and 20:00 each day. Try less energy intensive methods of cooking food such as microwaves (reduced cooking times) and slow cooking (much lower power use over a longer period).

If you’re interested in understanding how to use a slow cooker get in touch. We’re working with Learn Devon to put on more courses.

If you are struggling, and need help with your energy management, do call or email us at Tamar Energy Community (TEC) on 0800-233-5414 or hello@tamarenergycommunity.com. We also have an online request form here: https://tamarenergycommunity.com/request-support/

‘One Pot Wonder’ Slow Cooker Course available – save money on your cooking

Save energy and money through using a slow cooker.

Sign up to Learn Devon’s ‘One Pot Wonder’ slow cooker course. Learn more about cooking nutritious meals for the family with the provision of a free slow cooker for each family who attends a course.

The first course starts on Monday 14th March at Alexandra Centre, Tavistock from 11:30 to 13:30 with the second and final session on Monday 21st March at the same time and place. Book by Weds. 9th March 2022, to secure your place.

The other sessions and locations are as follows:

Bere Alston at the Parish Hall 13.30 – 15.15 on Friday 18 March and Friday 25 March 

Princetown at the Community Centre 13.30 – 15.15 on Thursday 24 March and Thursday 31 March

Tavistock at the Alexander Centre 11.30 – 13.30 on Monday 4 April and Monday 11 April

Lifton at the Community Hall 11.30 – 13.30 on Tuesday 12 July and Tuesday 19 July.

To secure your place please contact Learn Devon at 01822 613701, text 0781 697 3926 or email tavistock@learndevon.co.uk.

Please let others know who may be interested.