10 tips to cut your energy bills this winter
With the cost-of-living crisis, most households are feeling the pinch – and the cold weather can send energy bills soaring in the winter. Here are 10 simple tips to help you keep your household warm and running without wasting money.
- Get rid of draughts
Do you have ill-fitting doors and windows? Then you’re probably letting in cold air that will lower the temperature in your home, forcing you to use more heating. Getting rid of draughts is a relatively easy fix – pop to your local DIY shop for some draught exclusion tape and get to work plugging those gaps!
2. Use your oven less
Heating an oven uses a lot of gas or electricity, so when you can, use cheaper options such as your microwave, a slow cooker, or an air fryer – which is essentially a mini oven. When you do use your oven, economise by cooking several dishes at once and don’t keep opening the oven door.
3. Add insulation
Insulating your house is a sure-fire way to save on energy bills. Make sure you have insulation in your loft, and add insulation for your pipes and water tank too. More expensive options – which can reap rewards in the long run – include cavity wall insulation, floor insulation and soft wall insulation.
4. Don’t leave electrical items on standby
If you leave your electrical items on standby when not in use, they’ll continue to use electricity – not as much as when they’re on, but still enough to ramp up a significant extra amount on your bills over time. Consider innovative solutions such as standby savers, which enable you to switch standby off on all your appliances in one go.
5. Replace your boiler
An old, inefficient boiler can be 40% less efficient, meaning it costs a lot more to heat your home – so while fitting a new boiler is a significant outlay, it can significantly cut your gas bills.
6. Bleed your radiators
Over time your radiators can start to fill up with air, meaning that the whole radiator doesn’t get piping hot. If you touch your radiator and find it’s cooler at the top than at the bottom, you probably need to bleed it. This will let the air out, enabling the radiator to fill up with hot water instead. Be sure to only bleed your radiators when they are cold.
7. Turn the thermostat down
Turning your thermostat down just one degree can make a significant difference to your heating bills. Get your household used to adding an extra layer instead of simply turning the thermostat up when they feel chilly.
8. Put pan lids on
This simple tip will cut the amount of time it takes your food to cook and significantly reduce energy usage, so whether you’re cooking a soup, stew, or a pot of rice or pasta, pop the lid on as soon as you can.
9. Fit radiator reflectors
A radiator reflector is a reflective sheet that looks a lot like a sheet of foil; you place it behind the radiator to bounce heat away from the wall and into your room. It’s a simple, cheap fix that will mean the heat from your radiators is not wasted.
10. Don’t block your radiators
If you’ve got furniture in front of your radiators, you’re blocking the heat and wasting energy, so rearrange the room so the heat can flow properly. Similarly, be sure not to close curtains over your radiator because this, too, will stop the heat from warming the room. Who needs warm curtains?
Need help? We’re here to help with everything from insulation to heating, plumbing and electrical work. Get in touch today to find out more.