Ruth Emery
As temperatures drop, and energy prices are predicted to remain high, many of us will be thinking about ways to save money on our energy bills.
Energy bills jumped by 10% on 1 October, and the Ofgem energy price cap is expected to go up again by 1% on 1 January.
Experts warn that gas and electricity prices will remain at this elevated level for at least the next three years.
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The news comes as temperatures plummet across the country, with weather warnings and snow in many parts of the UK.
Many pensioners will also be feeling the squeeze on their finances after Labour axed Winter Fuel Payments for those who are not on benefits, such as Pension Credit.
To save money on energy bills, some households are resorting to just not turning the heating on.
Research from Go.Compare energy found that 22% of bill-payers are avoiding putting the heating on this Autumn, and won't turn it on until Winter starts (22 December). This figure jumps to more than one in four (27%) for those aged 45-54.
But there are ways to cut your energy bill without doing anything as drastic as refusing to put the heating on.
We outline 13 ways to trim your bill.
How to save on your energy bill now
Switch to LED bulbs
LED bulbs use less energy and will save you money in the long run. They cost just a bit more than traditional bulbs – you can get a pack of three LED bulbs from Amazon for around £8.
According to the Energy Saving Trust, if the average UK household replaced all of their halogen bulbs with LEDs it save about £40 a year on bills.
Use an energy-efficient shower head
You can cut down on bills by spending less time in the shower; taking four-minute showers could save you £95 a year, according to the Energy Saving Trust.
But using an energy-efficient shower head could further reduce your energy usage. On Amazon they start at around £9 and, according to the Energy Saving Trust, this switch could shave £28 off a family of four’s energy bills and around £47 off your water bill.
Wash your clothes at a lower temperature
You can save around £35 a year by running your washing machine on a 30-degree cycle, and by reducing your washing loads by just one run per week for a year.
Adjust your boiler to save on energy costs
You can slash around £25 a month off your energy bill by turning your flow temperature down by a few degrees on your boiler – we explain the two boiler tricks everyone needs to know about in our article: two boiler tricks to cut hundreds off your energy bill.
You can also cut costs by turning off your boiler’s preheat function, which ensures hot water is ready to go at all times – you could shave anywhere between 5% to 10% off your energy bill by only turning it on just before you need it.
Bleed your radiators
This may sound obvious, but it’s easily forgotten: making sure you bleed the radiators will keep your house warmer for longer. If there are any cold spots on the radiators while your heating is on, it means air is trapped in the system.
Turn your heating down
According to comparison website uSwitch, you could save as much as £80 a year by turning your thermostat down by just one degree. According to experts, the ideal temperature for most healthy people is around 18 degrees.
Draught-proof your home
Draught-proofing around windows and doors could save you around £60 a year, says the Energy Saving Trust. Draught-proofing your chimney could save you an extra £390 a year – this can be done with something as simple as a chimney sheep, which cost around £50 on Amazon.
For windows, you can buy draught tape, which can cost less than a tenner. And for doors, you can also buy door draught excluders that cost around £20.
Turn off lights
Turning the lights off when leaving the room is the top step that people are taking to try and conserve energy, according to a poll by Go.Compare.
The Energy Saving Trust estimates that a typical household could save almost £7 a year by switching off the lights as they leave a room.
Switch off standby
According to the Energy Saving Trust, you could save around £50 annually by turning off your appliances in standby mode, either by switching them off at the plug or unplugging them.
Check the instructions for any appliances you aren’t sure about. Some TV recorders may need to be left plugged in so they can keep track of any programmes you want to record.
Investments to cut your energy bill in future
Insulate your home
Around 25% of the heat from your house escapes through the roof. You can save up to £130 a year by padding your loft to prevent warmth from escaping. You could also install double or triple glazing on your windows.
Check to see what government grants are on offer. For example, you may be able to get support from the Great British Insulation Scheme.
Insulate your hot water cylinder
Insulating your hot water cylinder, if you have one, could save you £70 a year. By helping keep the water warm, you will use less energy in heating it up.
Andy Simms, renovation expert from MyBuilder.com, comments: “A hot water cylinder jacket is a cheap hack that costs just £20 but can realistically save you hundreds of pounds over the years."
Buy a smart thermostat
Investing in a smart thermostat could help you save money over time. These let you control and programme when your heating and hot water are turned on and off, saving you having to do it manually but also ensuring you won’t accidentally forget. You can also change temperatures remotely from your phone when you’re not at home.
Smart thermostats range from around £135 to £200 in price, and there may be installation costs too. But, they could cut your energy costs by between 14% and 31%.
“This means that for the average household they could knock about £560 off your bill in a year,” says Stephen Hankinson, managing director at Electric Radiators Direct. “Factoring in the upfront cost, those who do install these may start seeing some savings after around four months.”
Get a new boiler
This is definitely a more expensive option, with the cost of replacing a boiler coming in at around £4,000. But if you’re able to replace a boiler that is over 10 years old you could save money in the longer term.
At the very least, get your boiler serviced regularly. Simms notes: "The last thing you need when the temperature plummets is to be without heating. Getting your boiler serviced ahead of cold weather ensures you will stay warm, and can prevent more costly issues with our boiler in the future."
Install thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs)
TRVs help control the temperature of a radiator. If you don’t already have them on the side of your radiator, installing them could save you up to £75 a year, according to the Energy Saving Trust. Controlling the heat in your main living space and lowering it in rooms you don’t use as often will help you save money.
More energy-saving tips
If you're wondering whether it's worth buying a heat pump (and maybe solar panels too), or trying to work out the cheapest way to heat your home (fan heater or oil heater?), we have lots of handy articles for you:
- Wood burning stove or central heating
- Radiator vs electric heater
- Fan heater vs oil heaters
- Solar panels vs heat pumps
- Heated airer vs tumble dryer
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