8 Ways To Reduce Your Home Energy Bills

1. Thermostat Tips

• Turning your heating down by just one degree could save you as much as 10% on your annual heating costs.
• Install a smart thermostat to only warm the rooms you are using.
• Programme how long to heat your home at the right time on your smartphone with smart thermostats so you don’t have to waste any gas/oil.

2. Suggestions For The Shower

• Swap out a long soak in the bath for a short shower to save on your energy bills.
• Switch to a more efficient showerhead that doesn’t drip for savings up to £80 a year!
• Programme how long to heat your home at the right time on your smartphone with smart thermostats so you don’t have to waste any gas/oil.

3. Invest in Insulation

• You can save up to 50% on your energy bills with insulation- start saving today!
• Spray foam insulation covers all the hard-to-reach places including timber frame walls, under suspended floors and lofts to prevent heat escaping.
• Insulating your water tank, pipes and radiators additionally is a quick and easy way to save money on your bills. Alternatives like the hot water cylinder jacket costs less than £20 and can bring you savings of roughly £20 a year.

4. Unplug the Unused

• Research by British Gas in late 2021 revealed that households could save up to 23% on their electricity bills each year by switching off their electronics at the plug.
• Appliances on standby still drain your energy, even when they aren’t on. Turning off and unplugging appliances like your TV, the lights, phone chargers and kettles can really reduce your bills over time.
• These basic behaviours can be formed in schools as well as homes, businesses and other buildings to reduce your carbon footprint.

5. Dealing with Draughts

• You will inevitably lose some heat through draughts around windows and doors, gaps around the floor, or through the chimney. Draught-proofing will lock in the heat and keep your home efficient.
• The cheapest way is to buy some DIY draught-proofing strips and place them around windows and doors.
• Another inexpensive method of locking in the heat is to fix radiator reflectors on the back of external walls.
• Professional draught-proofing of windows, doors and cracks in floors and skirting boards can be more expensive but can save you around £40 a year on energy bills.

6. Watch the Washing

• Try to wash clothes at a lower temperature, such as a 30°C cycle. You should use occasional hot water washes to help get rid of bacteria and prevent odours from building up in your machine.
• Only turn on the washing machine and tumble drier when you have accumulated a full load to reduce water wastage. Don’t overload the machine though or you may have to re-wash the items, defeating the purpose!
• Try to use a high spin setting to prevent the need to tumble dry your washing.
• Check that your tumble dryer vents and filters are cleaned regularly and do not have any debris or fluff building that could make the cycles inefficient.

7. Go For Double Glazed

• Whilst new homes are being built with double glazed windows and doors as new energy-saving standards, older and existing homes may not have this luxury.
• Double glazed doors and windows are a fantastic solution to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from heating and cooling thereby reducing your carbon footprint and also lowering your energy bills.

8. Energy-Efficient Enlightenment

• Firstly, turn off the lights when you leave any room - a surprisingly significant source of energy wastage.
• Similarly with outdoor exterior or security lights, put timers, switches or motion detectors so they only come on when needed.
• Use energy-efficient lightbulbs like LEDs rather than incandescent types. LEDs use a quarter of the energy of incandescents and can last up to 25 times longer.
• For outdoor lighting, use halogen lightbulb alternatives as they consume up to 25% less electricity without any reduction in brightness.
• Let the natural light in! Use mirrors and open blinds and curtains to allow your room to be filled with sunlight as a natural source of light during the daytime.

Overall, being mindful of the energy you personally consume can inspire a reality check. Whether you write down every appliance you use in a day or you use a smart meter, you won’t actually reduce your carbon footprint or lower your heating costs without making a conscious effort to do so. Smart meters are great for discovering how much energy different appliances are using, as well as setting reminders and budgeting for future weeks or months. Learn more about how spray foam insulation cuts your heating bills!