It’s that time of year again where the weather begins to get colder, the days get shorter and you might want to turn the heating on already. Here we give you some top tips on how to reduce your heating and energy bills during the colder months.
According to the Office of National Statistics, the average UK household spends around £1,249 per year on heating and energy, making them one of the biggest annual costs. However, there are ways you can reduce your bills which we’ll explore below:
1. Reduce consumption
The most obvious and easiest way to reduce your heating bill is to cut down on your consumption. This can be as easy as turning off lights when you’re not using them. Keeping a watchful eye on your consumption levels can help you decide if and when you have to change the way you use energy. Installing a Smart Meter lets you track your consumption with accurate and real time information. Learn more about how they work with our guide to Smart Meters.
2. Lower your thermostat
You’re unlikely to notice a huge difference if you turn your thermostat down by a few degrees but turning it down by even just one degree could save you up to £75 per year! In order to save costs, you will also want to try and remember to turn it down, or even off, whenever you leave your home for more than an hour or so! In addition to this, there are plenty of activities that you can do in your house to generate heat, reducing the need for the thermostat altogether! You could cook a meal or take a shower. When you shower, keep the door open so steam spreads and heats up other rooms.
3. Don’t let heat escape
This may sound simple, but it can seriously reduce your bill! Keep your doors and windows shut when your heating is on. If you have kitchen ventilation fans, make sure these are turned off when they aren’t needed. Another handy tip is to keep your windows covered when it’s dark outside. This helps reduce heat loss and keeps cold air at bay! On that note, be sure to let the light in during the daytime, as the rays of sun will help heat your home.
4. Light a candle
This is not for warmth, but for the purpose of doing a little investigative work. Hold the flame near windows and doors (whilst being careful!) and look for smoke moving in a horizontal direction. If you see any, this may mean you’ve spotted an air leak which could mean heat is escaping your home easily. In order to solve this problem, you may want to consider purchasing some draught excluders or draught-proofing kits. You should also consider sealing cracks in the floors and skirting boards and consider lining your letter box!
5. Use appliances efficiently
Your electrical appliances can be a serious drain on your power supplies, so you should make sure that your new models have a good energy efficiency rating. All ‘white goods’ appliances, such as fridges, freezers, washing machines and dishwashers are now rated on a scale which runs from A to G, so you can easily find an energy efficient model. Further to this, turning off unused appliances at the plug can save you up to an additional £80 per year, so this is well worth doing!
6. Do your washing at a lower temperature
Washing at 30 degrees can be a third cheaper than washing at 40 degrees. This sees a saving of up to £52 per year. Make sure you have the right detergent for this temperature and you might want to run a hotter wash occasionally to keep your machine clean!
If you have any additional questions, or want further advice, we are always on hand to help so please don’t hesitate to contact us!
