As we head towards winter you might be wondering how to save money on your energy bills.
Are you looking for low and no-cost tips you can easily do yourself? Perhaps you have some money to invest in making home improvements. Whatever your budget, keep reading to discover what you can do and see how much you might save.
No and low-cost energy saving ideas
1.Ditch the draughts
Draughts let warm air out and cold air in. Fitting inexpensive draught proofing strips to windows and doors is a quick and easy DIY job.
Potential energy bill saving: £35 a year.
Top tip: If you have an open chimney, fitting a chimney draught excluder could save you a further £55 a year.
2.Draw the curtains
Closing blinds and curtains at night can limit your home’s heat loss. Rooms will feel cosier and you might spend less on heating.
Top tip: Make sure curtains don’t block radiators. When closed, they should stop between the edge of the windowsill and above your radiators.
3.Turn down the thermostat
If you are warm enough, try turning down your thermostat by one degree. The lowest comfortable temperature for most people is between 18°C and 21°C.
Potential energy bill saving: £85 a year.
Top tip: Only heat the rooms you’re using and turn your heating off when you go out.
4.Choose central heating over electric heaters
If you have gas central heating, it will generally be cheaper than an electric heater. If you want to heat one room, turn the radiator valve up in that room and turn the valves down in your other rooms.
Top tip: Keep doors between heated and unheated spaces closed. This will stop heat escaping and keep you warmer.
5.Keep your hot water tank cosy
Most modern hot water tanks have plenty of insulation, but an older tank might only have a small amount. You can add extra insulation with a hot water tank insulation jacket. These are inexpensive, widely available, and easy to fit.
Potential energy bill saving: £40 a year.
Investment ideas to make bigger long-term savings
If you’re already following our low and no-cost tips, and have a bigger budget, here are some other suggestions.
1.If you have up to £860 to spend, invest in a full set of heating controls
A programmer, room thermostat and individual thermostatic radiator valves will cost around £860. And, using them correctly could save you around a £105 every year on your energy bills.
If you already have a programmer and thermostat, installing thermostatic radiator valves will cost around £510 and could save you £35 a year on your energy bills.
2.If you have £930 to spend, invest in insulating your loft
If your loft is easy to access and has no damp or condensation problems, it should be easy to insulate and you may be able to do this yourself. Installing 270mm of insulation to an uninsulated loft is likely to save about £225 a year on your energy bills.
3.If you have £2,700 to spend, invest in cavity wall insulation
Homes built from 1990 onwards usually already have cavity wall insulation, but if your home is older and has wall cavities free from damp or structural issues, adding insulation will save you money. Installing cavity wall insulation in a typical semi-detached home is likely to save you about £235 a year, meaning you could be paid back for the investment in around seven years.
