AS the temperatures continue to drop and the evenings get shorter, most households are preparing for winter.
And with these handy tips, you can save significantly on your energy bills.
Energy experts have revealed the common mistakes that could be increasing your household bills (stock image)[/caption]
From running tumble dryers to making even more cups of tea and blasting the heating, there are countless ways UK households switch up for the winter.
And with energy costs set to rise, there’s no better time to learn how to cut down on your bills.
According to a report by the Energy Saving Trust, there are lots of ways you can save energy and money all year round.
Common mistake
Insulating your hot water tank and pipes keeps the water
warmer for longer, costing you less money to heat the water up.
While most modern cylinders have factory insulation, older ones may only have 25mm of thick foam insulation.
By spending just £16 on an 80mm insulation jacket, a typical home can save £70 each year on energy bills.
And if you’re waiting a long time for your water to heat up, this could be a sign you need to top up the insulation on your hot water pipes.
Insulating all the exposed hot water pipes in a typical semi-detached house will cost around £15 and save you £9 every year on your bills.
Since around a third of heat in an uninsulated home is lost through the walls, this is one of the most important steps you can take to cut down on your energy bills.
For a typical semi-detached home, installing insulation will cost you approximately £1,000, however you will see annual savings of around £395.
This means that after just two and a half years, your insulation will have paid for itself.
Meanwhile, insulating a detached house will set you back just £1,800, with an impressive annual saving of £690.
So you will have earned back your money after just over two and a half years.
A mid-floor flat costs just £395 to insulate, with annual savings of £180.
Anyone who lives in this type of property will see the results of the saving measure after just two years.
4 ways to keep your energy bills low
Laura Court-Jones, Small Business Editor at Bionic shared her tips.
1. Turn your heating down by one degree
You probably won’t even notice this tiny temperature difference, but what you will notice is a saving on your energy bills as a result. Just taking your thermostat down a notch is a quick way to start saving fast. This one small action only takes seconds to carry out and could potentially slash your heating bills by £171.70.
2. Switch appliances and lights off
It sounds simple, but fully turning off appliances and lights that are not in use can reduce your energy bills, especially in winter. Turning off lights and appliances when they are not in use, can save you up to £20 a year on your energy bills
3. Install a smart meter
Smart meters are a great way to keep control over your energy use, largely because they allow you to see where and when your gas and electricity is being used.
4. Consider switching energy supplier
No matter how happy you are with your current energy supplier, they may not be providing you with the best deals, especially if you’ve let a fixed-rate contract expire without arranging a new one. If you haven’t browsed any alternative tariffs lately, then you may not be aware that there are better options out there.
And finally, insulation in a mid-terrace house will cost you £580 to install.
These homeowners will save approximately £235 each year, meaning the job will see payback after just two and a half years.
Cost-cutting meaures
By putting the organisation’s tips into action, each household can save you £369 a year on your bills.
First, you should make sure to switch your devices off standby when not in use.
This can save you around £65 a year, and since most all electrical appliances can be turned off at the plug without upsetting their programming, there’s no reason not to follow this step.
A standby saver or smart plug allows you to turn all your appliances off standby in one go.
And turning off your lights when not in use can help to save you around £25 a year.
You can save even more by replacing all the lights in your home with LED bulbs, especially useful during the long winter evenings.
Make sure you pay particular attention to the settings you select on your washing machine.
Opting for a 30 degree cycle instead of higher temperatures and reducing your washing machine use by one run per week can save you around £34 a year.
Meanwhile, avoiding your tumble dryer and opting to dry clothes on racks can lead to savings of £70 a year.
Cutting down on your shower time can also help a typical household to save up to £95 a year.
And while some of us might enjoy a long soak in the bath, swapping just one bath a week with a four minute shower could save you £20 a year on your bills.
You can also be savvy in the kitchen, with kettles being the main culprit for draining your account.
As one of the most used appliances in the kitchen, it’s important to avoid overfilling your kettle.
By taking this step, you could save approximately £13 a year on your electricity bills.
And you could save another £30 by fitting an aerator to your kitchen
tap.
This reduces the amount of water coming out without affecting
how it washes or rinses.
And only running your dishwasher when it’s full can also help to reduce the amount of water you use.
Opting to run your dishwasher just once per week could save you £17 each year.
More on household bills
One homeowner saved £1,000 on household bills by taking a quick and easy step.
And British households can now apply for cost of living cash wort£300.
Plus, a round-up of the September freebies and discounts you can claim worth £1,000s if you’re on PIP.
A major energy supplier is giving away five days’ worth of free electricity this month.
