The cost-of-living crisis sweeping the country is now showing its full winter colours. The cost of everything, especially utilities, is soaring. Millions of tenants across the country are sure to feel growing pressure and stress at the thought of energy and gas bills this winter.
But with a few simple changes, you could save money on bills this winter, and lessen the pressure.
The advantage of insulation
The last thing anyone needs is expensive heat escaping through the roof, chimney, pipes, and other areas of a home with poor insulation.
Installing insulation in the roof, cavity walls, and floors helps to retain more heat in your home. Roughly a third of all heat escapes through uninsulated cavity walls, and a quarter is lost through the roof. Investing in insulation in these key problem areas could save you a significant sum of money. For example, detached houses and bungalows could save roughly £590 annually when installing roof insulation (as of October 2022). Investing in insulation for these key areas means less heat would dissipate and the need to turn up the thermostat is reduced.
Those living in older homes may want to check their insulation and consider replacing it to ensure heating is as efficient as possible.
Don’t ignore kitchen appliances
To save a bit more on your gas and electric bills this winter, invest in more cost-efficient cooking appliances. When looking for cooking appliances, switching your oven for an airfryer or slow cooker are cost-effective options. However, microwaves are by far the most cost-effective choice, costing roughly 8 pence daily to use.
Guilty of hot water gluttony?
Households across the country use liter upon liter of water daily; on average, 345 litres per household every day across the UK. Wasting hot water, and overusing water in general increases your bills dramatically. Taking measures to be more water efficient can be financially beneficial.
To help reduce your bills this winter, take small, simple steps. Switching your normal shower head to a water-saving alternative can save money, simply because less water is used and less is heated. Other ways you can reduce your water usage include taking showers instead of baths, reducing the time you take in the shower, turning taps off when not in use, or even making sure to fill your washing machines and dishwashers fully before use.
Think more, heat less
Inefficient heating can be costly, especially leaving on radiators where or when they’re not needed. Many of us are guilty of leaving radiators running in rooms we rarely use. This adds to your energy bill at the end of the month. For those who are looking to save a bit on energy bills this winter, switch off any radiators at the valve in rooms you rarely use to make sure valuable heat isn’t being wasted.
Another way to make sure you’re being efficient with your heating is to keep your radiators healthy. Bleeding your radiators this winter will keep them running at full capacity by ensuring there is no air trapped in the system. Trapped air in your radiator limits the heating capacity, meaning you’re wasting money whilst not feeling the full benefit.
Furniture blocking your radiators could also limit your heating efficiency. If your furniture blocks your radiators, not only will the heat not circulate around the room properly, but the furniture can also absorb a lot of the heat. At that point, you’re paying increasing bill prices to heat your furniture up instead of your home.
Dress up warm, and turn down the heat
It may seem obvious, but one of the best ways to reduce your energy bills this winter is to invest in some warm layers. Warm clothing, heated blankets and fluffy socks help minimise the need for turning up the heating. If you don’t need to turn up the thermostat, you can reduce your bills this winter. And feeling cosy is no bad thing either.
*Disclaimer: this blog is only intended as a guide, and is not to be taken as legal advice.*
