Carbon monoxide is a silent killer. Every year in the UK it kills around 50 people and sends 4000 to A&E for emergency treatment. Make sure you get all your combustion appliances properly serviced and fit an alarm. Good quality alarms are available from most DIY suppliers and take minutes to fit. It could save your life!

Think before your print. Reducing the amount of material you print has a long list of benefits including saving paper, chemicals and electricity. More and more offices and industries are going paper free, so think about how you can reduce any printing you do.

Every degree you turn your home thermostat down could save you around £80 to £85 a year on your heating bill.

Thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) help ensure your heating is evenly distributed where you need it. Check them to make sure they are set properly so each area reaches the temperature you need and gets no hotter.

Keeping extract fans and vents clean and clear from obstruction reduces energy use and makes then work more efficiently.

Switch off radiators in any rooms you are not using regularly and keep internal doors shut to save energy.

Remember to turn off the tap while brushing your teeth – a running tap wastes over 6 litres per minute.

Spending one minute less in the shower each day will save up to £8 a year off your energy bills, per person. With a water meter this could save a further £11 off annual water and sewerage bills. If everyone in a four-person household did this it would lead to a total saving of £75 a year.

Properly used, dishwashers use less water and energy than washing dishes by hand. However, make sure you only wash full loads and don’t pre-rinse everything in the sink first unless it really needs it.

Draught excluders are a cheap way of cutting out the chill from poorly fitting doors and windows. Most are also easy to fit, a simple DIY task.