It’s been a mild autumn so far, but don’t be fooled. Longer nights and lower temperatures are on their way, and with them will come higher bills as we use more energy to light and heat our homes.
This year we’ll feel the squeeze more than usual. From Thursday, the energy price cap will rise by 4 per cent. For an average household that uses both gas and electricity, this will mean bills increase by £60 a year, though you’ll face a steeper increase if you’re a big energy user.
Unfortunately, there could be worse to come. A new energy price cap will come in at the start of January, and it’s forecast to be much higher. This would drive up prices just as everyone is using lots of energy during the coldest months of the year.
Fortunately, you can soften the blow by making your home more energy efficient. Green tech can be expensive upfront, but when energy prices are high it pays for itself more quickly.
To help you decide which improvements might be worth the outlay, here’s a round-up of the energy savings you can expect from each.
Improving insulation
The independent Energy Saving Trust (EST) says 33 per cent of a home’s heat is lost through the exterior walls, 25 per cent through the roof and 15 per cent through the floors. Adding better insulation to any of these will keep warmth in and help you spend less on heating.
The cost of “retro-fitting” insulation depends on the size of your home, the quality of materials used and whether you do it yourself, but the Trust calculates that insulating a whole property could cut your energy bills by 25 per cent to 45 per cent. For many properties, that could add up to a significant saving every year.
Draught-proofing
Proper ventilation and air circulation are good things, but many homes (even new ones) have unwanted draughts caused by gaps around windows or poorly fitting doors. Heat can leach out through gaps like this, slowly wasting you money.
Filling these gaps is fairly inexpensive. And while the savings will probably be modest – £60 to £150 a year says the EST – blocking draughts will give you a snug and warmer home.
Improve the windows
Swapping old windows for double or triple-glazed models can keep your home warmer in winter, cooler in summer and quieter all year round because they keep out external noise.
However, fitting a full set of windows can be expensive, and is not something you should attempt yourself. The EST estimates that someone in a typical semi who replaces single for double-glazed windows would save £85 a year.
Solar panels
These are increasingly popular and will soon be mandatory on new-build homes. Depending on the roof and panel size, they can take 10 to 15 years to pay for themselves, but they make a home more energy efficient from day one. You may even be able to sell “excess” energy to the National Grid, allowing you to earn, not just save, money.
Heat pumps
The EST calculates they can be 300 per cent more energy efficient than a traditional gas boiler, but they’re not suitable for all homes and, as with solar panels, they may take many years to pay for themselves.
Energy-saving gadgets
Even if your home is already optimised for energy-saving, there are plenty of gizmos available to help you shave a little more off your bills.
LED bulbs
These are a common sight now, but if you haven’t already switched, take the plunge. LED lights convert 90 per cent of their electricity into light, while old-style incandescent bulbs manage less than 10 per cent, wasting the rest as heat.
Smart thermostats
These are increasingly sophisticated and can be programmed to switch as much of your energy use as possible to the times when tariffs are cheapest, and minimise energy use when it’s not needed.
Smart plugs
These can be timed to turn on or off any electrical device plugged into a wall socket, and are often programmable from your phone. A TV left on standby, or a laptop in sleep mode, will still draw some electricity, so consider setting them to turn off completely overnight.
Lifestyle tweaks
Your home is your refuge, and everyone has the right to live the lifestyle that suits them and their family best. But there are a few small changes we can all make that will trim the amount of energy we use and save us money.
Only run the dishwasher when it’s full: Dishwashers can use less electricity than manual washing up. They’re at their most efficient on their “eco” setting and when you wait until they’re full before using them.
Run appliances at night or at non-peak times: Some utility providers charge less for electricity at certain times, typically overnight and sometimes on weekend afternoons.
Knock one degree off the heat: An average household can save around £100 a year just by turning down the thermostat by 1°C.
Close the curtains: We’ve all seen glamorous TV dramas set in homes where lights are left on, and curtains open, to show off the beautiful interior. But doing this in the real world will waste you money, no matter how good it looks!
Phil Spencer is a property expert and co-presenter of Channel 4 show Location, Location, Location. He is also the founder of Move iQ.
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