How to cut costs LOWER YOUR GAS BILL
Simple steps to save money on your bill so you can be as cost-efficient as possible
Household energy bills are soaring, an increase driven by gas prices hitting a record high. So finding ways to lower your gas bill is now a housekeeping skill that we all need to learn.
It pays to understand how to conserve energy at home. Not only will this help you right now to save money, but you’ll also be playing a part in reducing the use of fossil fuels and the associated impacts of climate change.
Review your energy bills
While any savings you make are likely to be minimal, it is still worth looking at how to switch your energy supplier. Contact your supplier to make sure you’re on the best tariff for your home’s energy usage, and compare it with competitor providers – especially if you’re just about to come out of a fixed-rate tariff contract.
Don’t leave appliances on standby
Many appliances draw power when on standby. British Gas figures suggest UK households waste on average £30 a year powering appliances they’re not using.
‘If you switch everything off at the wall when you’ve finished with it you could save £40 a year and 50kg of CO2,’ says Brian Horne, senior insights and analytics consultant at Energy Saving Trust.
‘You could also invest in a standby saver,’ suggests Andrew Collinge, heating product manager at Bestheating. ‘Plug all your appliances into a standby saver, then programme it to respond to a single remote control. It will also automatically cut the power to an appliance when it realises it has gone into standby mode.’
Service heating systems
A yearly service by a Gas Safe engineer saves money as it ensures your boiler is working efficiently. The engineer will also spot any problems before it causes a breakdown. ‘An efficient boiler uses less energy, so services keep energy costs lower,’ says Andrew Collinge. And if your boiler is more than 12-15 years old, is expensive to run and breaks down regularly, it might be time to replace it.
Turn down the water temperature
You should have the option on your boiler to lower the temperature of the hot water that comes out of your taps. If you find the water comes out too hot to touch, you’re wasting gas and money, so try turning it down a few degrees.
Get a smart thermostat
A smart thermostat allows you to operate your heating system remotely via an app on your phone or tablet. Some will save your daily routine and work out the best usage for you, others will alter your settings depending on the weather. ‘Some smart thermostats can adjust the temperature of your boiler output to make sure it’s always working at optimum efficiency,’ says Brian Horne.
Lower your thermostat
Each degree you lower the thermostat will help cut your energy bills. ‘The World Health Organisation says 18 degrees is warm enough for healthy adults, with slightly higher temperatures needed for the very old or young,’ says Will Lynn at moneysavingexpert.com. ‘So consider popping on a jumper at home and seeing what temperature your household is comfortable at.’
Insulate your home
If your home is draughty and poorly insulated it will leak heat. ‘Insulation is key to making your home energy efficient and cutting bills,’ says Brian Horne.
‘Your roof should be the first place you look to,’ says Andrew Collinge. ‘Roof insulation is the cheapest and quickest place to stop heat escaping and can even be installed by keen Diyers,’ he explains.
Around a third of heat in an insulated home is lost through the walls according to the Energy Saving Trust. ‘Most homes in the UK have either solid walls that can be insulated from the inside or outside, or cavity walls, which have a gap that can be filled with insulation,’ says Brian Horne.