Tips on Reducing Your Energy Bills

There are many different ways to reduce your household’s energy use, ranging from simple behavioural adjustments to extensive home improvements. We’ve gathered some of the most popular tips given by experts in this field.

Use your thermostat effectively

Reducing room temperatures by just 1ºC can cut heating bills significantly. So put on a jumper before you turn up the heating. If you don’t already have a room thermostat, programmer and thermostatic radiator valves, installing them – and using them well – could save you money. It will also cut your home’s carbon emissions by 330kg a year. Heating controls should let you: set your heating and hot water to turn on and off to suit you heat only the parts of your home that need it set different temperatures for different areas of your home keep your home at a temperature that’s comfortable, without wasting heat.

Replace light bulbs

Energy-saving light bulbs can help you to cut your energy bills easily. An LED light bulb costs around £1.71 a year to run . Over its lifetime, it could cut around £180 from your energy bills, compared with an old-style bulb. Remember, energy-saving light bulbs last longer than traditional ones.

Cut draughts

Stopping heat from escaping through unwanted gaps could help you save up to £20 a year, although you could save far more with professional draught-proofing. Take a look at the following areas: Windows Use draught-proofing strips around the frame. Brush strips work better for sash windows. Doors Use draught-proofing strips for gaps around the edges, and brush or hinged-flap draught excluders on the bottom of doors. Chimney and fireplace If you don’t use your fireplace, use an inflatable pillow to block the chimney, or fit a cap over the chimney pot. If you have an open chimney, this alone could save you £15 a year. Floorboards and skirting Floorboards need to move, so use a flexible silicone-based filler to fill the gaps. Loft hatches You can prevent hot air escaping by using draught-proofing foam strips.

Choose energy-efficient appliances

Appliances like washing machines, dishwashers, tumble driers and TVs must clearly display an EU Energy Label when they’re offered for sale. The labelling scheme was established to help people understand more about products before they buy.

Appliances are rated in terms of energy efficiency ‘classes’, from A to G. ‘A’ is the most efficient, and ‘G’ is the least efficient.

Since this rating scale was put in place, many companies have improved the energy efficiency of their appliances. So now, on top of the A to G scale, you’ll see appliances marked A+, A++ and A+++. The more ‘+’s the more energy efficient the appliance is.

Insulate your home

Insulation plays a key role in lowering your utility bills through retaining heat during the winter and keeping heat out of your home during the summer. The recommended level of heat resistance, or “R-value,” for your insulation depends on where you live. In warmer climates, the recommended R-value is much lower than for buildings located in colder regions like the Northeast.

The level of insulation you should install depends on the area of your house. Your attic, walls, floors, basement, and crawlspace are the five main areas where you should consider adding insulation.