HOW TO CURB YOUR COSTS THIS WINTER
GET A SMART THERMOSTAT
One of the best ways to keep bills down is to invest in a smart thermostat, according to Eoin Clarke, managing director of switcher.ie. Smart thermostats allow you to control the temperature in your home, and to set the heating to only come on when you need it. “Heating costs make up a huge portion of energy bills,” said Clarke. Some of the most popular smart thermostats are the Hive, Climote, Nest and Netatmo devices. It costs anything from €130 to €399 for a smart thermostat (including installation), depending on the device — though some energy providers offer them for free or at a discount, as long as you sign a contract with the provider.
GET ENERGY-SAVING GADGETS OR APPLIANCES
There are plenty of low-cost gadgets or products which could help cut your energy bills. For example, you can buy a radiator reflector — a sheet which sits at the back of your radiator and reflects the heat from your radiator back from the wall — for around €10 or less. It is estimated that radiator reflectors can reduce the energy lost through your walls by around 35pc to 45pc. A basic draught excluder — which seals off draughts on windows and doors — costs around €7 or €8. A smart plug — which you should be able to buy for around €20 — could also be worthwhile. “Smart plugs allow you to control a plug from your phone — so if you had a light or device connected to a plug, you can [remotely] switch the plug on and off, and set the plug to come on at certain times,” said Clarke. Buy A-rated home appliances too, as these should use less energy than others. To ensure you are not throwing your money away on energy-saving gadgets or appliances, go with a tried and tested model.
GET YOUR BOILER SERVICED EACH YEAR
As well as ensuring that your boiler works more efficiently (and therefore helping to keep your heating bills down), an annual service is important for safety. Such a service should cost around €80 to €100. You may need to replace your boiler with a more modern one, if you have an old and inefficient model. This will be expensive, though it should save you on energy bills in the long run.
BE ENERGY-SAVVY
Any money spent on energy-saving devices and appliances will be wasted if you do not take simple steps around your home to keep energy bills down. “Switch off lighting in rooms you are not using,” said Clarke. “Close your curtains at night time to keep the heat in. Stop leaving appliances on standby.” Also, keep your doors and windows closed, to stop heat escaping.