With the cost of energy soaring, many people are wondering how they are going to afford price rises of 54 percent on their energy bills.
Thankfully, there are a few things most of us can do to at least lower our energy consumption a little, and thus lower our energy bills a bit too. Below are some of the best ideas you may be able to implement to save energy in your home right now:
Review your energy suppliers
Most people will have already done this ahead of the recent price hike, but if you have not reviewed your energy suppliers to check that you are getting the best deal, you can use a price comparison site to do so. It may be that switching will save you a few pounds every month, and right now, every little counts, so it is definitely worth doing.
Invest in insulation
Spray foam insulation is a very cost-effective way of boosting your home’s energy efficiency. It will help to keep your home cooler in summer and warmer in winter so that you do not need to use nearly as much energy as you would in an un-insulated home. If you’re worried about the cost of insulating your home, it is worth noting that most forms of insulation will pay for themselves in as little as 1to 2 years, so it could be a really good way to save money on energy going forward.
Turn off vampire appliances
Vampire appliances suck you dry by draining energy from your supply without you even noticing it. Basically, they are appliances that you leave switched on when you are not using them. Many people think leaving the TV on standby or their phone charger plugged in when it is not in use does not use much if any electricity, but this is not true, and those vampire appliances could be increasing your energy bills by several hundred pounds each year. Turn them off and make sure your family does the same too.
Invest in energy-efficient appliances
Next time you need to replace an appliance such as a fridge or a tumble dryer, choose an energy-efficient model and you will effortlessly save as much as £15-75 per year for a single appliance such as a washing machine, and as much as £300 per year if all of your appliances are energy-efficient.
Line dry
On the subject of tumble dryers, if you can avoid using yours you will save a whole lot of energy, and therefore be able to lower your energy bills. I know this is often easier said than done in the UK where we aren’t exactly blessed with wall-to-wall sunshine, but there are other alternatives, like clothes horses, and humidifiers that can work out cheaper than using the dryer too.
Invest in a new boiler
If you have a very old boiler in your home, chances are it is not as efficient as it once was. Although it is not inexpensive to invest in a new one, you could save as much as £200 annually by having a more economical boiler, so it could be an investment well-made, especially when you consider that a new boiler is less likely to ail and need the attention of an engineer in the future too.
Switch to LED bulbs
If you are still using traditional lightbulbs in your home, the recent price hike in energy could be just the catalyst you need to finally take the chance, If you switch all of the bulbs in your home to LED versions, you could save as much as £195 off your energy bill annually which means they will more than pay for themselves within a few short months, They tend to last longer too, which means you don’t need to spend nearly as much money on lightbulbs going forward either.
Ensure you can control your central heating
The more control you have over your home’s central heating, the more energy you can save, and the lower your bills are likely to be. So, it is a really good idea to install a room thermostat controller and thermostatic valves, which will enable you to better control the temperature in each room, as a minimum. It may also be a good idea to install a smart thermostat so you can turn off and switch on the heating at a distance. This could be a good money-saver if you tend to forget to turn the heating off when you head out for the evening, for example.
Invest in switch timers
If you install timers on your plugs, then you can turn on appliances like washing machines at a time when energy is the least expensive, even if you are in bed or happen to be out at the time. In fact, many appliances have their own built-in timers and setting them to use economy energy is one of the best ways to make savings on your energy bills.
Use a slow cooker
If you are worried about the cost of cooking meals for your family, it may be worth investing in a slow cooker, which is far more economical than running a gas or electric poker. In fact, the cost of running a slow cooker can be as little as 30 pence per meal which is far cheaper than the alternatives.
Use draught excluders
Using draught excluders and other measures such as draught-proofing strips that can help to seal around windows and doors, is an inexpensive way of saving energy. In fact, it can save you as much as £25 per year, and it will make your home feel a lot warmer and cosier when your home is no longer letting cold air in from outside, too.
As you can see, it is possible to lower energy consumption and thus save money on your energy bills in a variety of ways, but you need to be mindful, stay vigilant and use your energy wisely if you want to ensure that you are never paying a penny more than you need to.
Nb. Collaborative post.
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