Many people will be looking at the news right now and worrying about the energy crisis. With household energy bills set to soar in April with the price cap lifting and adding up to £2,000 per year to household bills, many households will be feeling the squeeze and wondering how they will manage (especially with the rising cost of living added in). The good news is that there is positive action that you can take to lessen the impact of rising energy costs.
Reduce Usage
The first step to take is simply to reduce your energy usage each month. There are many effective ways to do this, including:
- Showering less/shorter showers
- Lowering the temperature a few degrees
- Batch cooking
- LED lightbulbs
- Turning off appliances when not in use
- Turn lights off when not in use
- Turn the water off when brushing teeth, shaving etc.
Insulate Your Pipes
You can easily lose heat through your pipes, which is why it is worthwhile installing lagging on the pipes that will allow them to retain heat and could prevent them from freezing in the winter months.
Wall & Loft Insulation
A huge amount of energy can be lost through the walls and loft, so you will want to prevent this at all costs with proper insulation. You could install your own loft insulation which could save you up to £315 per year and can be a job that can be completed with Milwaukee power tools. Wall insulation is also worthwhile but will require a professional.
Draught-Proof
Energy can also be lost through draughts in the home, which also make it hard to maintain a comfortable temperature. Draught excluders can be used to prevent energy loss from occurring between the door and floor and you can use foam strips on windows to prevent energy loss.
Bleed the Radiators
Do you notice that your radiators do not perform as well as they used to? Bleeding the radiators flushes the system and should get them working properly and heating up much faster.
Double-Glazing
If you do not have it already, having double-glazing installed is smart and will make it much easier to retain heat inside the home (while also shutting out outside noise).
Heat Pump
Having a heat pump installed is another option that homeowners should consider. These are expensive to install upfront but will allow you to make big savings over the long term and with less maintenance.
This post should give you a few ideas and hopefully help you to feel less stressed about the rising energy costs. It will be a difficult period ahead for many households, but there is action that you can take to lessen the impact and hopefully avoid any financial difficulties in the months to come.