Energy-saving tips to help you reduce your energy bills at home
With the cost of living on the rise, there's never been a better time to cut your energy bills and be kind to the planet. We've put together some tips to help you and your family reduce your energy use in every room of your home.
Home heating - top tips to cut your heating bills
Over half of our energy bills spend goes on heating and hot water. It's really important to look at our home heating habits and see if there are small changes we can make to reduce our heating bill.
- Turn down your thermostat. Just one degree lower could save you up to £145 a year. Set a timer on your thermostat for your heating to come on only when you need it.
- Turn the heating flow temperature down. Without lowering the temperature of your home, turning the flow temperature down on your combi boiler from 80℃ to 60℃ you can save up to £95.22 per year(1). This isn't suitable for all systems, so find out more with our flow temperature guide.
- Don't heat empty rooms. Using individual radiator valves means you can reduce or turn off radiators in unused rooms if you have any. Doing this would cut 4.5% off the typical UK household's gas usage, saving up to £50 a year. Try to keep doors between adjoining rooms shut to stop the heat from escaping.
- Run your heating only when you're at home. Even using your central heating for an hour less each day adds up to big savings over time.
- Draught proofing. By blocking any gaps where heat can escape and cold air can get in, you'll prevent heat loss and keep your home warm. There are a number of places where you can prevent draught. Draught-proofing your chimney alone could save you up to £90 a year.
- Bleed your radiators. Trapped air can make your radiators less efficient, so they'll be slower to heat up. If you feel confident doing it yourself, read our guide on how to bleed your radiators.
- Choose thermal curtains and keep the heat in. Investing in thermal lined curtains and ensuring they're closed in the evening can stop heat loss 27% and save an average home up to £291 a year on energy bills.
- Heat people, not the room: Rather than putting the thermostat up further, you could try a heated electric blanket to keep you snug. They typically cost between £25-50 to purchase but use as little as 3p an hour of electricity even on the highest setting.
Invest in a hot water cylinder jacket. If you have a hot water tank investing in a jacket could save you up to £50 a year as the jacket reduces the amount of heat the cylinder loses and keeps water hot for longer, making them more efficient and cheaper to use.
Kitchen - reduce your energy use even when cooking and washing up
Bathroom – energy-saving ideas for your bathroom
Did you know that about 12% of a typical gas-heated home's energy bill is from heating the water for showers, baths and water from the hot tap?
Here are some quick ways to save water and money on your energy bills
Home lighting and electronics - keep the lights on for less
Don't pay more – Check if your energy tariff is the best for you
Reviewing your energy tariff regularly could also save you money. If you're not ready to switch your tariff because of the high energy prices, leave us your email address, and we'll let you know when prices come down.
A smart meter could help you save
It's important now, more than ever, to stay in control of your energy. With a smart meter, you'll easily be able to track your energy usage and see where you can save so that you can lower your bills and your carbon footprint.
Smart benefits include:
- Upgrade your meter at no extra cost
- You're in control - you can see the cost of your energy
- Receive more accurate bills
- If you use cards or keys, you can top up online
Other ways to reduce energy at home
There are lots of other ways you can reduce energy at home and help save the planet by being more energy-conscious. Do you really need a portable air conditioning unit, for example? They use a lot of energy and have a high cost to run.
Find out more about what makes an energy-efficient home and get more energy efficiency tips in our Energywise blog.
You can also head over to the GOV.UK website for more information on conserving energy in your home.