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Winter is coming and with it comes higher energy bills. The energy price cap rose again at the beginning of this month, meaning many of us will pay 10% more for our heating, hot water, and power over the winter months.
Joanna O’Loan, knowledge manager for Energy Saving Trust, says that although going into winter with the thought of high energy bills can be daunting, ‘there are simple adjustments you can make at home to help lower your energy costs and reduce carbon emissions’.
As well as switching to the most competitive tariff, these tips from Energy Saving Trust can help you stay warm while saving money.
Some of these tips do require a little investment… but if you follow each one listed, you could save up to £418 on your energy bills in the space of a year.
1. Install heating controls – save £110 a year
Being able to control your heating with an app from your phone means not heating your home when you’re out. If you also install thermostatic radiator valves, you can heat selected rooms in your home at any time, further cutting your costs. Heating controls are an initial outlay but will save you money in the long run. At present the Hive mini-thermostat is available from £79, while compatible thermostatic valves will cost £59 each.
2. Seal your floors – save £40 a year
If you have an older home with a suspended timber floor, draughtproofing your floors with a product such as Draughtex – which can be inserted between floorboard gaps – can save you £40 a year and make your house more comfortable for less than £10 a roll. You’ll only need to seal the ground floor too.
3. Seal your chimney – save £55 a year
If your home has open chimneys, you’re paying to heat the air outside in the winter, so invest in an energy-saving solution to stop the warmth escaping. The Chimney Sheep, made of wool with a handle to make it easier to remove, costs from around £19 depending on the size of your chimney opening.
A chimney balloon, which is inflated in situ to completely block the hole, costs about £17.
Just remember to remove it before you light the fire…
4. Insulate your hot water cylinder – save £40 a year
If you have a hot water tank, chances are you’re only getting the bare minimum amount of insulation. Energy Saving Trust calculates that topping up your insulation from 2.5cm to 8cm will save you £40 a year by keeping water hotter for longer.
A jacket for a hot water cylinder costs about £20.
5. Draughtproof your windows and doors – save £40 a year
Using DIY draughtproofing strips around windows and doors will help the heat to stay in your home.
There are two types you can buy – cheaper, self-adhesive strips and longer-lasting metal strips with brushes attached.
Installing either could save you £40 a year on your heating.
6. Turn appliances around the home off standby – save £45 a year
So-called vampire appliances drain your home of £45 a year, even when you’re not using them.
Mark Feygin, founder and CEO of energy comparison platform PowerSetter, says: ‘Some households find that nearly a quarter of their electricity usage comes from devices in standby mode.’
Make switching everything off at the plug a habit – it’s safer as well as cheaper.
7. Turn off lights in unused rooms – save £7 a year
Your gran was right – leaving the lights on does cost you money.
While there’s no need to sit in the dark, ensuring the rest of the house isn’t lit up will have a significant effect. When light bulbs reach the end of their life, switch them out for LED versions changing all your light bulbs to LEDs could save £40 a year.
8. Wash clothes at 30°C instead of higher – save £12 a year
Dropping the temperature of your washing will keep your bills down, without compromising on cleanliness, thanks to modern detergents and ‘eco cycles’. According to boiler cover group Hometree, washing machines and dishwashers account for about 14% of electricity use in the home, so this will have a significant effect.
If you avoid tumble-drying whenever possible, this will also save you cash, as the dryer is one of the most energy-intensive appliances in the home.
9. Run your dishwasher only when full – save £12 a year
Energy Saving Trust calculates that if you don’t run your dishwasher until it’s completely full, your energy bill will be £12 a year lower. Switching your dishwasher to ‘eco mode’ could also save you cash.
Ella Jones, sustainability manager at energy provider Utilita Energy, says the company found that almost three-quarters of us don’t use the eco mode on our dishwashers – doing so would save us an average of £24 a year.
10. Don’t boil more water than you need in your kettle – save £29 a year
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For a cup of tea, you only need to boil between 150ml and 250ml of water. However, many of us fill the kettle to the top each time we make a hot drink. If we can break this habit, we can save £29 a year.
Is it too late to switch and fix?
The energy price cap rose 10% at the beginning of this month, and those who have an electricity and/or gas tariff that’s pegged to this cap will now be paying more than they were over the summer. Energy price forecasting group Cornwall Insight believe it will rise again by a further 3% in January.
The good news is, though, that it is now possible to switch your energy supplier or energy tariff and pay less than the price cap, and in some cases, you will be protected from further price rises as well.
Will Owen, energy expert at comparison site Uswitch.com, says that those opting for fixed energy deals can avoid the possibility of a further rise.
‘There are several fixed tariffs worth considering right now,’ he says. ‘By opting for a fixed deal, you’re locking in those rates for the duration – usually 12 months.’
Fix or flex?
Whether your tariff is fixed or variable, you are still charged for the amount of energy you use, so energy bills can move up and down. The difference is that, with a fixed tariff, the amount you pay per unit of energy won’t change if the price cap rises or falls.
The cheapest fixed rate without any exit fees is from Octopus Energy, at around 8.8% below the energy cap and is fixed for 12 months.
Making the change
To switch tariffs if you’re on a variable rate you can visit a supplier’s website directly or use comparison sites such as Uswitch.com or MoneySupermarket.com to compare providers.
Some companies, such as E.On and Octopus also offer referral bonuses of £50 if you switch.
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