The summer is nothing more than a distant memory, and Britain is in the midst of one of the coldest winters in years. It looks like a white Christmas is highly probable, and households are starting to feel the chill.
You don’t have to change any pipes, the electricity and gas coming into your house will be the same. All you have to do is go to a price comparison sites such as theenergyshop.com, energyhelpline.com or uswitch.com, enter your postcode, search for the best deal and switch. It takes about two minutes. It may be the easiest £285 you make; you’ve saved 23 per cent of your fuel bill.
Energy saving is boring, but one of its virtues is that once you’ve made the changes, you don’t have to do them again.
Turning down the central heating thermostat by one degree saves an extraordinary amount, £55 a year; it’s unlikely you’ll notice the difference. Here’s a similar one; don’t heat your water so much. If you have an eco setting, choose this, because your water will then be heated on demand rather than in advance, just in case. If your water is ever uncomfortable to touch, lower the thermostat, which should work out at another £50.
You’ve now saved £450.
Now to things that cost some money upfront, but pay back quickly, usually in a year or two.
Why pay for your TVs, DVD players and computer when you’re not using them? On standby they can clock up three-quarters of their “on” energy use.
Now to insulation and draught proofing. If you haven’t had insulation fitted to your roof in the past 10 years, you’ve almost certainly got too little. Mineral wool insulation should be 270mm. Topping it up to that level is an easy DIY job. It might cost £250 upfront, but saves £45 a year.
Filling gaps between skirting boards and the floor saves £20. A jacket for a hot water tank saves £35 and an eco-showerhead £25 a year.
Now to energy saving lightbulbs. You may have installed a few already. But now there’s an eco lightbulb for every socket: table lamp, dimmer switches, even the halogen spotlights that power down from kitchen ceilings.
Replacing all the remaining traditional bulbs in your home with energy saving light bulbs saves £37 a year.
All these measures are highly practical. You could do most of them over a weekend. And, notwithstanding some upfront costs, they would slash your fuel bill by £650. Year after year.[ad#Google Adsense]