How To Save Money On Energy And Heating Bills

Are you worried about the rising costs of energy? You’re not alone. Britain is currently in the midst of a difficult cost of living crisis which keeps getting worse. Food prices are on the rise due to out of control levels of inflation while energy bills have climbed to a shocking level for some people. This will become more difficult when the temperature starts to drop and there’s a chill over homes through the winter months. That’s why it’s important to ensure that you are taking steps to reduce your energy bills as much as you can. 

According to the government, the typical household in the UK will currently pay £2,500 for their gas and electricity annually. This is due to the fact that household energy bills increase by 54% in April 2022. Originally, the bills were expected to rise by another 80% in October. However, the government prevented this and now bills won’t rise again until April 2023. Many homes including detached houses will likely use more energy and could be facing an annual bill of up to £3,300. 

There is help available from the government for rising energy costs. Every household across the UK is receiving an automatic one-off discount for £400 for their bills in October.

Another eight million low-income households who receive particular benefits or tax credits will also be provided £650 in two separate payments. Finally, pensioners will receive £300 and disabled people will be provided with £150.

Certain energy firms are also providing hardship funds. However, there is more that you can too to ensure that your energy bill doesn’t grow out of control. 

If you are interested in saving more money on heating and energy, then there are further points that you should consider. Exploring these possibilities will help you reduce the amount of energy that your home is using and therefore, ensure that your costs are as low as possible. Let’s explore some of the key questions you need to ask here. 

Some people wonder whether leaving their heating bill on low is cheaper compared with turning it off and on through the day when you need it. This is similar to how some people believe that they should switch off their fridge and freezer at night to cut costs. Neither will save you money and energy experts tend to agree that you should switch your heating bill off when it’s not in use. Instead, you should only switch it on when you need it the most. This will save you more money overall. 

You can also think about this in terms of energy loss. Regardless of how low you set your heating, your home will always be losing heat and energy through the day. However, if you keep your heating off unless you need it, the property is going to have far lower levels of heat loss. Again, it will ultimately save you far more energy instead of keeping your heating system on low. 

Next, you should consider whether your boiler is saving you money or potentially working against you. You could also be worried about whether your boiler will survive another winter or stop working at the absolute worst possible time. If this is the case then there are a few questions that you should ask. 

First, you need to consider how old your boiler is. A boiler that is more than ten years old will not be achieving the right standards of efficiency compared to some of the newer better alternatives on the market. While a new boiler might seem like an expensive upgrade, it could end up saving you money in the long term if your current boiler is too old.

You should also think about the last time you had your boiler serviced. It’s possible it’s been a while since your boiler was serviced. If that’s the case, then it’s again likely that it’s not reaching maximum levels of efficiency. Ideally, you should aim to get your boiler serviced at least once a year. Somewhere in autumn is the best time for this as that way you know what condition it’s in just before the winter search begins. 

Another point to consider is if you have boiler cover. A lot of people do not have boiler cover and this is risky. Even with maintenance, it’s still possible that your boiler won’t break down. If you don’t have insurance, then you may not be able to afford the right replacement or repair. This could leave you without a boiler, heating and hot ewater for months. Without coverage, you will also need to arrange the right repair yourself. It can be difficult to find the right person for the job who has the necessary training and experience. Furthermore, the cost can leave a sizable hole in your bank balance. 

Aside from considering the possibilities mentioned above, there are a few simple steps that you can explore to guarantee that you are losing less energy on a daily basis through winter. Here are some of the options we recommend you explore. 

First, you should make sure that you are wearing more layers around your home. This will save you from switching on the heating for as long as you can. There are lots of layers that you can wear to stay warm from a thick pair of socks to a vest, jumper and jacket. Alternatively, you might also want to think about investing in thicker individual pieces of clothing including a snuddie. This is a combination of a dressing gown and a hoodie. The thick, fluffy material is perfect for staying warm on the sofa through winter. Failing this, you could think about getting a good old fashioned blanket to curl up in while you’re relaxing with the family or watching a movie. 

It’s also important to ensure that you do stop wind draughts around your home. This is always going to put more of a chill on certain rooms and areas.

If you are having issues with draughts coming from around the windows, then you may want to consider adding some draught-proofing strips to this area of your property. Alternatively, you can also think about replacing your curtains with thicker, winter ones to keep the chill off your property. 

If the problem is around the doors, then you can use the same type of strips, this time around the edge of the door frame as well as the bottom of the doors. This is a useful option if there is a gap at the bottom of outside doors which can be an issue with newer homes. 

Another problem area can be places such as the floorboards and skirting. There might be gaps here that need to be filled in. You can do this by using a silicone-based filler. This will ensure that the floorboards can still move which is critical as they expand and contract in different temperatures. 

You could also think about managing your thermostat more effectively. It’s possible that your thermostat isn’t giving you much control over your energy usage and heating. If that’s the case, then you should think about using a smart thermostat. With a smart thermostat, you can set your home to the specific temperature you want and keep it at that point. Many modern thermostats also have eco settings that are designed to save you as much energy as possible. Failing this, you may want to consider simply turning down the thermstat to a lower setting. Remember, if your temperature setting needs to be high, then it’s likely your home is losing heat through places like the windows, doors, and floorboards. 

It’s worth putting your heating on a timer. By taking this step you can make sure that you are turning off your heating at night and that it’s not on when there’s no one in the home. Ideally, you should only need your heating for an hour or so in the morning and a few hours in the evening. This could be enough to take the chill off your home without needing to spend a fortune. 

Finally, you should make sure that you are only heating the rooms that you are using. For rooms that are hardly ever used like guest bedrooms, you should turn the radiators down to the lowest setting or perhaps switch them off entirely. 

Take this advice and you will be able to keep your energy costs under control this year. Aquatek is a friendly team of plumbing and heating experts. We provide affordable, high quality services through Essex , Kent & London. With more than 35 years of experience, we are confident that we can fix any heating or plumbing issue you might have. If you have any trouble with your heating systems this autumn or winter, don’t hesitate to get in touch today for the best support.

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