HOME TRUTHS: HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON YOUR ENERGY BILLS
With the cost of living battering homes across the UK, it’s more important than ever to take steps to reduce your energy bills, particularly now during the peak energy months. Luckily, there are several things that you can do to help make your home more energy-efficient. A few simple changes around your home can make a huge difference to both your energy bills and your carbon footprint.
Homeowners may sometimes find it confusing to figure out where to start with making their homes more energy-efficient. Many homeowners are not aware of some of the great small changes that can have a significant impact. That’s why energy expert Dan Moore at PriceYourJob.co.uk has created this list of tips to help you learn how to get started with making your home more energy-efficient. Let’s dive right in…
Turn Down The Thermostat
Firstly, turning your thermostat down is one small change that can make a big difference. This may seem like a bad idea to some, especially in the winter months. However, the lower you can set your thermostat, the more you can save on your energy bills.
You don’t have to make any dramatic reductions to the temperature. Just a few degrees lower than what you usually have it set at can help you save some money. If your house feels a bit chilly, you can close your curtains to help retain the heat. It’s worth investing in some thermal curtains for the winter months as this can help to keep a lot of the heat inside. Additionally, you can make use of things like blankets and hot water bottles to stay warm.
A smart thermostat is also a great investment, as it could help you save hundreds of pounds on your energy bills each year. A smart thermostat works by only heating up the rooms that you’re using. You can control the system with a smartphone app. This means that you can conveniently heat your home as you need. This can help you heat your home much more efficiently and allows you to reduce your energy bills significantly.
Avoid Leaving Appliances on Standby
You can save quite a surprising amount of money on your energy bills and improve your home’s efficency by turning off electrical appliances whenever they are not in use. Rather than allowing appliances to sit on standby mode, they should be fully switched off.
Consider items such as TVs, laptops, printers, and washing machines that you wouldn’t normally turn off completely at the plug. Switching some of these items off at the source could help you to save around £30 each year.
Wash Your Clothes at a Lower Temperature
If you choose to wash your clothes at 30 degrees rather than higher temperatures, this can use around 40% less energy, and could save you around £50 each year on your bills. However, it is important to choose a detergent that can work well at lower temperatures so you can get a proper wash. If you end up having to wash your clothes multiple times in order to get them properly clean, this will defeat the purpose.
While discussing washing clothes, it is also important to note that you should try to do full wash loads rather than a lot of smaller loads. This can also help you save energy. So the next time you put a clothes wash on, make sure you go around your house and collect each person’s washing before putting the load on. By putting the washing machine on fewer times, you can save more money.
Avoid The Tumble Dryer
Tumble dryers use a lot of energy. If you can avoid using your tumble dryer as much as possible, this can result in some significant energy savings. If you choose never to use a tumble dryer, you could save around £150 – £200 per year on your energy bills.
Consider drying your clothes on a clothes airer or a washing line, if the weather permits. If you do choose to use a clothes airer, make sure to leave a window open as this can cause dampness in some properties where there is poor ventilation.
Install Loft Insulation
If you insulate your loft properly, you can keep the heat in your home much better and this will result in lower energy bills. You may not realise it, but simply insulating your loft can actually help to save you hundreds of pounds in your energy costs each year.
You can also insulate other parts of the home for further savings. You can insulate cavity walls around the home as this can help lower your energy bills and also reduce your carbon footprint.
Get a New Boiler
Although the price of a new boiler may make you question purchasing one, it can actually make a huge impact on your home. Heating up your property accounts for around 55% of your energy bills. A new and more efficient boiler can have a significant impact on your home’s overall energy bills.
Upgrading from a G-rated boiler to an A-rated boiler can help you save roughly £300 every year on your energy bills. So you can understand how the initial investment for a new boiler will quickly pay off.
Install Double Glazing
If you want to keep your home warm and save on energy, you may want to consider installing some new double-glazed windows. By using two panes of glass instead of one, you can help trap more of the heat inside the home. With double glazing, you can lower your thermostat, and this will result in some big energy savings.
If you choose to install double-glazed windows in your home that have an A++ rating, you could save around £120 per year on your energy bills.
Try Using Solar Energy
One of the best ways to lower your energy bills quite significantly is to take advantage of solar energy. Installing solar panels on the roof of your home will allow you to generate electrical power from the sun, lowering your home’s reliance on the national grid. Depending on the types of panels and the size of your home, you can produce roughly 40% of your home’s energy using solar panels. In addition, you can also sell any excess energy back to the National Grid and get some money back from your initial investment.
However, solar panels are not a cheap investment. They can cost up to around £12,000. However, even though the systems are quite pricey, solar panels are one of the best ways for you to save money on your energy bills in the long run and improve the energy efficiency of your home. It is important to check with your energy provider first, as some companies can provide your home with free solar panels if you agree to return any income you make through selling your excess energy back.
Prevent Draughts
When considering ways to reduce energy costs, it would be smart to walk around your home and feel around the windows and doors for any draughts. Think about using draught excluders in the rooms that you are using.
Good draught-proofing can help to cut your energy bills by around 2%. This also applies to your chimney, where you can get a further 1 – 2% reduction. Although draught-proofing involves an initial investment, you will quickly make this money back with the savings.
Reduce Your Shower Times
Cutting your shower times by just one minute can surprisingly help you save hundreds on your energy bills. Plus, you could also save over £100 each year on your water bills if you have a water meter.
Consider purchasing a shower timer or setting the alarm on your phone. This can help you stay aware of your shower times. Some people even choose to turn the water off while they lather up and then turn it back on just for rinsing. This may sound quite extreme. However, it all adds up.
Bleed Your Radiators
It is a good idea to bleed your radiators regularly as this can prevent any air from being trapped inside them. Trapped air can result in cold spots on the radiators, and this can result in the system being much less efficient. You’ll need to use more energy to get sufficient heat out of the radiators.
If your radiators are taking more time than they should to heat up, if you can feel any cold patches, or if you can hear any gurgling noises in the radiators, this is a sign that you should bleed your radiators.
Bleeding your radiators is quite a simple process. However, you must make sure you know what you’re doing beforehand. If you feel unsure at all, get in touch a professional who can complete it for you.
Insulate The Water Cylinder
If you have a hot water cylinder, it’s important to ensure that it is insulated. Otherwise, it will be losing heat. When the cylinder loses heat, the water will cool down much more quickly, and this means that you will be wasting money on your water heating bills as the system will have to heat the water again much more frequently.
Fitting a hot water cylinder jacket to your cylinder could help you to reduce heat loss by up to 75%. These jackets don’t tend to cost too much – usually around £15. It’s recommended that you choose one that is at least 80mm in thickness.
In most cases, you can fit this as a DIY job as it’s simply a case of wrapping it around your hot water cylinder and then securing it with some string or something similar. If your cylinder is difficult to access or if you’re unsure, consult a professional.
Final Thoughts
By following these simple and effective tips, you can significantly reduce your energy bills this winter and throughout the year. Remember, every little bit counts! From making small adjustments to your daily habits to investing in energy-efficient upgrades for your home, you can create a more comfortable and cost-effective environment. Not only will you save money on your bills, but you will also be doing your part to reduce your carbon footprint and help the environment. So why not get started today and see the difference you can make?
