Saving money is something that we all want to do, especially when it comes to heating and energy bills. There are many ways that you can save on these bills. Through this guide, there will be 12 ways that you can start saving in 2024!
Replace Your Old Boiler
Replacing your boiler may be the best thing that you can do to reduce your heating bills. This is due to older boilers being less energy efficient than their modern counterparts. Modern boilers are rated at around 90% efficiency, meaning that only 10% of energy is lost or used to power them.
When you compare this to older boilers, which are often rated around 60% efficiency or lower. You can see a huge increase in inefficiency. Meaning with a new boiler you will not be wasting energy and money.
While it is a large upfront cost for a new boiler, you could save as much as £350 a year depending on your current boiler and property size.
Replace Your Lightbulbs
Replacing your lightbulbs is a great way to reduce your energy bills. This is by replacing your current lightbulbs with LED bulbs. This is due to LED bulbs needing less wattage to power and producing the same number of lumens as standard incandescent and CFL bulbs.
This reduction in wattage needed to power the lights in your home means that you could be saving up to as much as £150 a year. Making the up-front cost of LED bulbs seem like a great investment.
Install a Smart Thermostat
A smart thermostat is a great addition to your home when you are looking to save some money or try and get in control of your eating habits. A smart thermostat will allow you to be in control of your heating via a companion app on both your phone and computer.
This extra control means that you will not accidentally be leaving your heating while you are not home. They will also learn about your daily habits and set heating schedules for you, meaning that you eventually will not need to worry about the heating being left on.
Switch Energy Tariff
Switching energy tariffs is a great and often free way to start reducing your energy bills. To change your tariff all you need is your postcode, the name of your current supplier, and your tariff. Both of which can be found on a recent copy of an energy bill.
Once you have these, using a price comparison site, you can see what the cheapest tariffs are available in your area. Once you have selected a cheaper tariff it could take up to a month to change to a different supplier.
Switch to Energy-Efficient Appliances
Replacing old appliances, especially kitchen appliances like washers and fridges, can make a huge difference in your bills! This is due to kitchen appliances being used most, with washing machines being used as much as 300 times a year! This is why making sure that during those 300 uses you use as little energy as possible is vital! While this option can cost a lot of money to do all at once, gradually replacing your devices once they reach the end of their lifecycle can be the best way.
Insulate Your Loft
Pex insulation is vital for keeping the heat you are generating inside your home. Around 25% of heat generated is lost through the roof of an uninsulated property. So, making sure that you have your loft insulated is key to not losing as much. The recommended thickness of loft insulation is:
- 270mm for glass wool
- 250 mm for rock wool
- 220mm for cellulose
All of which will be available from a local DIY store. While you may feel confident to fit the insulation yourself there will be local installers that you can use if this is not the case.
Insulate Your Cavity Walls
Just like loft insulation, heat can also be lost through your cavity walls. Around 35% of heat is lost through uninsulated cavity walls. However, unlike with fitting loft insulation, you will need to hire an expert to drill a hole into your cavity wall to check if it is insulated or not. You will then want to use this same expert to Insulate your cavity wall if required.
While cavity wall insulation can cost a lot, up to £500 in some cases, you could be saving around £300 a year. Meaning that within two years you could see a saving of £100.
Use Natural Heat
When it gets warmer you can begin to use the natural heat of the sun to warm your home. Making sure that you open your curtains early will allow the sun to heat your home’s rooms meaning that you will not need the heating on as much. Saving you money on your heating bills.
Turn Down Your Thermostat
Turning down your thermostat is a free and simple way to make savings each year. While it is common sense to not have the heating on while you are out of the house, making sure you turn it down a bit while you are in the house can save some money. Turning down your thermostat by a couple of degrees each time it is on will save some surprising money. Plus, with a smart thermostat, this is even easier as your thermostat can be controlled from your smartphone!
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Wash at a Colder Temperature
By washing your clothing at a colder temperature, you will be saving on the amount of heat it takes to warm your washing machine’s water. You can also see some great savings by running your washing machine with a full load. By washing with a full load, you will be using your washing machine as it is meant to be and will not be wasting any water.
Turn Off the Lights When Leaving a Room
While this seems like a simple fix, it is surprising how many times lights are left on inside a room that no one is using. Doing this is wasting energy that does not need to be used. There are some workarounds such as installing motion sensors in rooms that can connect to smart bulbs.
However, that can cost a lot of money. Make sure to be conscious of leaving lights on when leaving rooms. There are 12 ways that you can begin to save money in 2024 on both your heating and energy bills! There are going to be many more changes that can be made. So, make sure you are always on top of the latest energy-saving techniques!
Wrap Up
Wrapping up is another great way to save energy. Once you have turned your thermostat down a little bit make sure to put on that extra layer, that way you will not be feeling the difference in temperature. It could also mean that you can turn your thermostat down a little more or off completely!