It is a fact that raising a family is difficult. When you factor in the costs of maintaining a family, finding the money to pay for a large energy bill might present a slew of issues. But do not be concerned! There are a number of options for regaining control over those annoying heating costs.
- Take control over your heating
Did you realize that heating and water account for around half of your fuel bill? While it may appear like dramatically lowering your heating bills is an impossible feat, there are in fact a few things you can do to help.
Set your boiler and hot water to come on just when you are home and need them. This is usually done early in the morning and late in the evening, and it helps to reduce waste. If you have a thermostat, you could heat only the portions of the house that you require, varying the temperature according to the room and your own needs. Furthermore, lowering your thermostat by a few degrees can save you a huge amount of money over time.
- Make sure that you have a decent boiler
If you have an older boiler in your home, updating it will save you the most money on energy. Most boilers should survive at least ten years, however, this is contingent on the quality, dependability, and efficiency of your current boiler.
Replacing your boiler appears to be a costly choice only when your boiler is permanently damaged. However, this could end up being the cheapest long-term solution for reducing your heating bills. An old, faulty, or inefficient boiler will have a direct knock-on effect on your bills.
Not only that, but engineer callouts and replacement parts will be costly if your boiler breaks down for any reason as it gets older and parts wear out. Emergency callout fees can be costly and frustrating, especially during the winter months when you rely on your boiler to keep your house and water warm.
- Update your insulation
It is critical to ensure that your home is properly insulated using something like InSoFast in order to save energy and money. Around a quarter of your home’s heat escapes via an uninsulated attic, and a third of it escapes through the walls. So, if your home is not properly insulated, you might as well be squandering your money.
Whether you have unfilled cavity walls or an attic that has seen better days in terms of insulation, it is worth spending the money in the short term to enjoy the long-term benefits.
- Keep doors closed
We have all been in that situation where you are sitting in a lovely warm room when someone walks in and leaves the door wide open, allowing all the warm air out. For as long as we can remember, we have all yelled this statement at our family members, and with good reason. While there is obviously more to it than just closing the door, the premise remains the same: why waste money on heating just to allow the warm air out?
Poor ventilation and draughts account for roughly 20 % of all heat loss in a typical home. Keeping your windows and doors closed, as well as sealing any draughts or holes, will have a significant impact on your overall energy expenditures.
- Switch things off when you are not using them
Almost all electrical appliances feature a standby mode, which is a low-power “sleep mode” meant to save energy and reduce the time it takes to turn off and on completely. Even if they are turned off or on standby, household appliances, and electronics use energy when they are plugged in. The greatest approach to save energy and reduce your monthly expenses is to make sure that all of your appliances are completely turned off when you are not using them. This will not only save you money but is much better for the environment too.
You can assist in the preservation of energy and therefore saving a significant amount of money by only using the heat and light appliances that you truly require. Turn off lights when you leave a room, do not keep appliances on charge needlessly, and use our ideas such as insulation, replacing ineffective boilers, lowering the thermostat, and closing the door to help you reduce your energy footprint and save money!
What are your top energy and money-saving tips?