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Month: March 2020

Reducing Utility Bills: Top Tips

Posted on by rob.fullsend

Our utility bills account for a large portion of our expenditure. This isn’t all bad, however. In fact, it means that by putting some time into this one area we can cut our spending by notable sums. We are not saying that you will be able to buy your dream car just by switching to energy-saver lightbulbs but with a few changes you can cut down your utility bills and save a little bit extra – it all adds up.  

 

Boiler Maintenance

Your boiler is one of the biggest factors in the cost of your utilities. If you do not carry out the necessary boiler service and repairs, it will run inefficiently requiring more energy to do the same job. More energy equals more money. In other words, if you don’t stay on top of your boiler maintenance you are throwing away cash. Not to mention the costs of repairing your boiler if it breaks down. Read our guide to boiler maintenance for all the tips on keeping it running efficiently (and in turn cutting down your utility bill).

 

Insulation

When winter comes around, you will naturally see an increase in your use of heating. This increased use comes along with increased energy bills. However, you can mitigate some of this increased use by properly insulating your home. Insulation can help keep your home warmer reducing the need for central heating. Wall and ceiling insulation are important, but you can also insulate your pipes meaning your boiler won’t have to work as hard during the winter. All this insulation adds up and so to do the energy bill savings.

 

Efficient Use of Appliances

The easiest way to throw away money by needlessly increasing your utility bill is an inefficient use of appliances. Using a dishwasher for just a few dishes is a clear example of this. Similarly, small laundry loads waste both energy and water. Even the temperature of your refrigerator could be costing you money. If you are inefficiently using your refrigerator by having it set too cold you could be wasting energy and adding to your energy bill. Almost all appliances can be used more efficiently. Simply by being cognisant of this when using them you can cut back their energy use and reduce your utility bills. Limit the washing machine to full loads, air dry instead of using the tumble dryer where possible, and only use the dishwasher when it is full and you are well on your way to cutting down your utility bill.

 

Energy Efficient Appliances

Using your appliances efficiently is a great way to cut down the energy bill but it can seem like an uphill battle if your appliances themselves are inefficient. An appliance’s energy efficiency rating will give you a good idea of its energy consumption. The more efficient an appliance is the less energy it uses. The less energy it uses the lower your utility bill. It seems simple and it is. Merely by owning more energy-efficient appliances, you can start making savings on your utility bills.

 

Energy Grants

Many people don’t know it but when it comes to energy bills there is often free cash up for grabs. Government grants, for example, could give you money off your energy bills or help you pay for insulation or installing solar panels. Not everyone is eligible for all the available options, but you might find one that you can take advantage of. There are grants from the government and energy suppliers so there are plenty of options to explore. Check out this “Government energy grants for your home” guide from Which for more details.

 

Our utility bills can often become quite expensive but by following the tips in this guide you can reduce them and start making some savings.

Guide To Fire Safety In The Workplace

Posted on by rob.fullsend

Workplace fires are a real risk which every workplace should work to prevent. Correct workplace fire safety is achieved through a series of steps. Firstly, identifying hazards. Secondly, identifying people at risk. Next we would look at reducing any potential risks and taking preventive measures, such as fire door installation and fire alarm servicing. Following this, you will want to record any measures you take and ensure the relevant people have the necessary information (including company-wide training). Finally, you want to review your fire risk assessment and continue to make changes where needed. Below we have looked at each step in more detail to ensure that you have the information you need to put a procedure in place regarding fire safety.

 

Step 1: Identify Hazards

The first step in fire safety is to identify potential hazards. You need to identify any sources of ignition such as heaters, sources of fuel (look for anything that could fuel a fire) and sources of oxygen such as air conditioning or commercial oxygen supplies. All three are fundamental to starting and fuelling a fire, so you need to be aware of where they are and work to mitigate the risk of them leading to a workplace fire.

 

Step 2: Identify People at Risk

Once you have identified hazards that can start and fuel a fire, you need to identify the people within your organisation that are most at risk. These are the people who work near the hazards you have identified, people that work alone, or people that may have difficulty moving or responding in the event of a fire such as elderly people or people with certain disabilities or injuries.

 

Step 3: Reduce Risks And Take Preventative Measures

Once you have identified potential hazards and the people who will be most vulnerable in the event of a fire, you should start mitigating risk. Keeping in mind the information gathered through steps one and two. Separate the sources of ignition and sources of fuel you identified, replacing flammable materials for non-flammable alternatives where possible.

You will also need a functioning and effective alarm system to warn people in the event of a fire. It is essential that you carry out regular fire alarm servicing so that you know your system is working. In the event of a small fire, you may be able to handle it yourself before it gets out of hand. Make sure you have fire extinguishers throughout the building which are easily accessible. 

To further prevent small fires spreading throughout the building and becoming a larger fire,  you need to install fire doors. Fire doors will also help you manage accessible routes out of the building in the case of a fire. You should have an easily accessible and known route out of the building in the event of a fire. All fire doors should be accessible and able to open without the need for a key.

 

Step 4: Record Any Changes You Make

Step four is to document all the hazards and people at risk you identified in steps one and two. You also should document all the changes and precautionary measures you made in step three. Note everything from fire alarm servicing and fire door installation to routes out of the building in the event of a fire.

 

Step 5: Keep Your Risk Assessment Updated

The final step is to make sure your risk assessment is up to date. Have new hazards arisen? Do your fire alarms need servicing again? Have you added new employees to the company that don’t know the way out of the building during a fire? Answering yes to any of these questions (and countless other we didn’t ask) means you need to update your fire risk assessment. Regularly revisit steps one through four to make sure your business’ fire risk assessment is up to date.