Ten things you need to know about... making your home more eco-friendly ¦ Property Guides on Times Online

- Establish what energy-efficiency measures your house needs to turn it into a green home by taking five minutes to complete the Energy Saving Trust’s Home Energy Check questionnaire

- See if you are eligible for grants or funding to contribute to your eco friendly house plans. Look under “Search for grants and offers” on www.energysavingtrust.org.uk, and contact your local authority – find details at www.directgov.co.uk

- Decide what you can do yourself – such as fitting eco friendly light-bulbs or hooking up a water butt – and what will need a professional to do – installing double-glazing, solar panels or a grey-water system.

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• Ten things you need to know about... making your home eco-friendly

- Energy efficient light bulbs cost from £3 each and could save you pounds every year (depending on number in your house). If everyone in the UK installed one energy efficient light-bulb, enough carbon dioxide to fill the Albert Hall nearly 1,200 times would be saved in a year, says the Energy Saving Trust. Keep yours clean and well-dusted to maximise light.

- Tackle the basics. You don’t have to spend a penny to make your house more eco-friendly, improve its energy efficiency and reduce its carbon dioxide output. Close curtains at dusk to stop heat escaping through windows; turn off lights; don’t leave appliances on stand-by or charge when finished charging; fix dripping taps; use the dishwasher (on economy programme) and washing machine (at 40 degrees) on full load; boil only as much water in the kettle as you need at a time.

- To carry out work, use local tradesmen, stores and services to save on fuel and energy emissions.

- If you’re upgrading kitchen appliances, find product-specific information on the most energy-efficient models of washing machines, tumble dryers etc at www.energysavinghtrust.org.uk. British Gas advises to always choose kitchen appliances that are A-rated as they’re the most energy-efficient. A new fridge/freezer could save you up to £37 a year. Make sure the old ones are disposed of safely: contact your local authority for advice.

- Remember the three Rs for green living – reduce, re-use, recycle.

- If you update furniture, don’t dump the old items to add to landfill, give them a sustainable future by donating to a furniture recycling network such as www.freecycle.org, www.reuze.co.uk, or www.frn.org.uk.

- Choose eco-friendly interior decorating materials. Paints, carpets and furniture can emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can be harmful to human health and damaging to the environment. Look for items with a low VOC content from “green” paint suppliers such as Ecos, www.ecosorganicpaints.com .

- Potted plants can act as natural air filters, removing harmful chemicals such as benzene and carbon monoxide from the indoor air. Good plants for improving indoor air quality include the peace lily, bamboo palm and gerbera daisy.

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