Practical ways to cut your energy bill

This is a collaborative post

With us stuck in the middle of a cost of living crisis, we’re all paying far more attention to our energy bills than ever before. From getting a smart meter fitted to turning off the lights in your home, many families are looking for simple ways they can reduce their energy consumption and lower their monthly gas and electricity bills.

Whether you’re in a small two bedroom flat, a spacious four bedroom detached or a three bed semi like us, here are some practical ways to make your home more energy efficient.

Insulate your loft – If you haven’t already done so, ensure that your loft is well insulated. Up to a quarter of your home’s heat can be lost through the roof in a poorly insulated house and good quality insulation is actually more affordable than you may think. Loft insulation can pay for itself many times over by reducing your energy bills. It works by trapping the heat inside your home whilst also preventing colder outside air from getting in. This means you spend less to maintain the temperature in the room and your boiler works less hard as a result.
Fit thermal underlay – If changing your bedroom carpets, opt for a thermal underlay. These clever base layers can not only stop drafts from rising up through your floor boards, but can also prevent heat from escaping through the floor.. Not only are carpets softer and more cosy, but they are far more energy efficient too. Many wooden floor owners opt for costly underfloor heating to provide a more comforting and warm feel under foot, but in the current cost of living crisis this can quickly impact their energy bill.
Get a smart thermostat – If you’re willing to make an investment, smart heating devices such as a smart thermostat or radiator valves can allow you to more closely monitor your usage. These clever devices include location trackers that automatically detect when you’ve left the home, allowing the heating to automatically switch to eco mode when the house is empty. You can even set the temperature in each room independently, meaning you can heat one room where you are working from home rather than heating the entire home.
Reduce unnecessary usage – Whether it be drying your hair naturally, reducing your shower duration, air drying clothes or washing the dishes by hand, consider your most energy guzzling household appliances and use them with caution. Tumble dryers and dishwashers are some of the biggest energy offenders, with them costing more to run in the peak early evening than during the day. A kettle also uses surprising amounts of energy, so if you’re guilty of reboiling your kettle or overfilling it, consider only using the water you need, as this will be far more energy efficient. You may also want to consider air frying or using a slow cooker instead of your oven.
Turn down the thermostat – did you know that reducing your heating temperature by just 1 degree can save around £80 a year? It may not sound much, but that’s £80 you could be spending elsewhere! Whilst turning the heating off completely won’t be feasible in the cold winter months, reducing the temperature by a degree or two may help manage the costs without significantly affecting your home or your comfort levels.
Fit draft excluders- If you haven’t got funds to change glazing or replace doors, consider fitting draught excluders or even using portable ‘toy’ style excluders to prevent warm air from escaping from your rooms. We have a giant sausage dog draught excluder that was originally bought on a whim, but he’s definitely been a welcome room addition in recent months.
Wash clothes at cooler temperatures – even in the most energy efficient of appliances, you can save money on your clothes washing by putting a load on at a cooler temperature. These days, most detergents perform well even at 30 degrees unless your clothes are particularly soiled, whilst 15 minute quick washes are ideal for a freshen up. It’s also worth considering whether the clothes really need to go in the wash, or whether they could be worn again before adding them to the machine. It’s more than appropriate for a pair of jeans to be worn a few times before needing a full clean so reducing the load size and frequency can have a big impact too.
Check to see if you come under the eco 4 scheme and qualify for help with reducing your energy bills – The ECO4 scheme is an initiative from the UK government. The scheme aims to cut carbon emissions from UK households. The ECO4 scheme offers free or discounted insulation, green heating systems, or upgraded boilers to some homes in the UK. Not all homes are included in the scheme though so you will need to check to see if yours does.