Prices are rising at their fastest rate for 30 years and millions of households are facing the prospect of soaring energy, fuel and household bills, making it even harder to keep up with the costs of living.
By being savvy and making some small changes around the home you can cut down your average electricity usage and save money on your energy bill
Windows & Doors
One of the first things you can do is check your windows and doors for a draught.
If windows are your main issue, you can purchase draught-proofing strips for the window frame, though brush strips are better suited for sash windows. Closing thick curtains can also do wonders for stopping draughts in your home.
If you have a draught coming in through the doors in your home you can get draught-proof strips to go in any gaps around the edges of the door frame, and draught excluders on the bottom of doors. Another thing you can be doing is make sure you close internal doors to keep the heat in.
Floorboards and Skirting
If you have gaps in your floorboards or skirting you can prevent hot air from escaping by filling them. You can do this by using a silicone-based filler though, as floorboards need to move.
Fireplaces and Chimneys
Fireplaces can cause a big draught, to fix this you can block it with an inflatable pillow or fit a cap to your chimney pot.
Turn Off Lights and Appliances
Something as simple as turning off your lights when you’re not using them or when you leave a room will save you around £20 a year on your annual energy bills.
Also, unplug any appliances or even charging cables that you’re not using as these can waste electricity. Turning all your electrical appliances off rather than leaving them on standby can save you around £35 a year according to the Energy Saving Trust.
Washing Your Clothes
Changing the way you wash your clothes could save you around £28 a year on your energy bill. Try to wash on a 30-degree cycle instead of higher temperatures. Reduce your washing machine use by one run per week for a year.
Bath or Shower?
Some of us might enjoy a long soak in the bath, but swapping just one bath a week with a 4-minute shower could save you £12 a year on your energy bills.
If you already prefer showers, keeping your shower time to just 4 minutes could save a typical household £70 a year on their energy bills.
Turn Down And Time Your Heating
There’s no point wasting energy when you’re not home. You’re not likely to need your heating on when you are curled up under a duvet while you are sleeping or when you know you’re going to be out of the house. Try timing your heating so that it’s warm when you wake up or come home.
Turning your thermostat down by just 1°C can save you as much as £80 per year on your heating bills according to the comparison website uSwitch.
So if you can put up with a slightly cooler home and layer up instead, this could make a significant difference to your energy costs.
Layer Clothes
During weather changes the temperature can fluctuate, meaning it can be hard to decide whether to use the heating or not. Either way, layering up and having a warm drink can help keep the chill at bay. Even on the chillier days, a cosy hot water bottle can do the trick!
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