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If you are thinking about ways to lower your energy bills and save money, you are not alone. Chances are the recent temperature has you staring at the smart meter in disbelief. Homeowners and billpayers across the country are endeavouring to follow suggestions and come up with their own innovative ideas for saving money on their energy bills as the cost of living crisis drives expenses higher than ever.
From buying an electric blanket or air fryer, to putting the dishwasher on overnight, many people are making new purchases and adopting new habits to try and cut down their costs and save some money.
In many ways, the situation is out of the consumer’s hands. You can try and look for better deals, but many energy providers are refusing to take on new customers meaning that finding a better tariff or cheaper energy supplier is not an option. However, the situation is not helpless.
Reassuringly, there are things that you can do to improve your energy efficiency and cut down your bills. Let’s consider five things that you can do that will help you to reduce your energy usage and therefore reduce your expenses.
5 Ways to Save Energy This Winter
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Insulate!
One of the key ways to reduce the heating bills, and to make more efficient use of the energy you do expend, is to insulate your home if you have an unconverted loft space. Go online, buy a loft insulation roll, and stop all that heat from escaping out of your attic and through the roof. Avoid the spray insulation though.
Install some insulation boards in your walls and cavity walls to retain the heat. You won’t need to use your central heating for as long or as often as the heat you generate will stay in your home.
You’ve probably recently discovered that heating your property first thing in the morning is cost a lot to bring it up to even 18 degrees. It’s costing me £4 in a 4 bedroom detached house just for 90 minutes. Keeping the heat in retains that lower temperature for longer, ensuring the boiler has less to do so lower energy costs.
And it’s not just insulation. You can fill any gaps that let draughts in, seal windows, use draught excluders and close doors in unused rooms.
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Invest!
With everything being so expensive these days, spending more money may not be what you have in mind. However, if you can make the investment in a more energy efficient boiler, and other more economical appliances, you will likely find that you save yourself money in the long run.
If you have an old boiler that predates 2007, you may find that is a less efficient boiler than the newer condensing boilers that reuse the heat in flue gases. Investigate your boiler and other home appliances and see what upgrades you can make to improve your efficiency.
And there are cheap things you can buy to help too, a warm blanket can do wonders for keeping the chill off.
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Go smart!
A smart thermostat is not just a new fad. By using a programmable thermostat, you can always be assured that the energy usage of your home will adapt when you are not there. Studies shows that lowering your thermostat by just one little degree could save a massive 10 per cent on your heating bill.
Furthermore, installing a smart meter will allow you to see exactly how much energy you are using and adjust if necessary. Evidently, it’s smart to go smart!
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Assess!
Request a home energy audit to see the areas of your home that are resulting in wasted energy and that could be improved. With an energy audit, an assessor will complete a thorough investigation of the heating and cooling systems within your home. As well the insulation, appliances, lighting, and other energy efficiency factors.
With the detailed report that they provide, you will be able to clearly see ways that you can improve on your energy efficiency and reduce your bill.
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Educate!
Learn more about the peak demand hours for appliances that use electricity and your tariff as you may be on an Economy 7 Meter which means a multi-rate plan. If you are, you can make a huge difference in your bills just by changing habits.
A good rule is to “think before you click” – early evening in the winter will be a time when everyone puts their lights on, or mid-afternoon on a hot summer day will be when every puts the air-conditioning or fans on. Avoid using appliances during these peak times and you’ll likely see the impact on your energy bill. Please note this only applies if you are on an E7 meter.
The same applies to looking into which devices in your home are energy guzzlers too. Even old TV’s use a lot more than their modern counterparts so upgrading might be a savvy move.
