Every year we seem to read those same news headlines – ‘Energy prices are increasing again’ or words to that effect. If you are tired of paying more for your heating and electricity bills, then it is time to do something about it. Shopping around for better deals is one way of trying to negotiate lower charges but making your home more energy efficient is a better long-term solution.
Making some simple changes around your home could save you some serious money on energy bills.
Here are a few ideas:
Check external doors – Hold your hand around the frame of external doors to feel whether any cold air is coming in. If it is, then you could try replacing with a sturdy door with better seals. Visit www.oakwooddoors.co.uk for some examples.
Buy thick curtains – One of the ways that a lot of heat is lost is through the windows. In winter, having thick curtains will stop heat from escaping and if you don’t want to have them up all year round, you can always change them leading up to winter and change back in spring.
Don’t put things on standby – Leaving electrical items on standby mode is massively energy-sapping. Make sure that you turn your items off at the wall to save energy and don’t leave phones/laptops charging for longer than they need to be.
Use heating timers – If you can get into the habit of setting a timer for your heating, you won’t forget to turn it off. Leaving the heating on high during the day when the house isn’t occupied is expensive, so set your timer so the heating comes on just before you get up and goes off just before you leave the house. The same applies in the evening – set it to go off once you are asleep.
Close doors – Heat will try and move around the house so if you aren’t using rooms, keep the doors closed as you don’t want to waste your heating on warming those rooms up. Doors that don’t keep the heat in very well should be replaced or you can use curtains to cover them for more effective insulation.
Make the most of natural light – If you find yourself constantly switching lights on, is it because you’re not making the most of natural light? Move your furniture around so that you feel the benefit of natural light in places like offices or living room areas.
Clear radiators – A common mistake that people make is to place furniture in a way that blocks out the heating from radiators. Check that your sofa or your bookshelves, or any other bulky items aren’t blocking your radiator heat from reaching the rest of the room.
Buy a rug – If you have wooden flooring and you don’t want to change to carpeted floors, buy a rug to keep the floor insulated instead. You’d be surprised at how much heat is lost through the floor and a rug can make the room feel cozy.
All images from Glass-Box House project designed by Beige Design
