Autumn has come and in a couple of months, winter will follow suit. Keeping our homes warm during the cold season costs just as much, if not more, as keeping them cool during the warmer months.
Here are some tips to help you reduce your energy costs:
- Shut the curtains/ blinds. More than one-third of winter heat can leak out windows. Shutting the curtains or blinds is an easy way to stop heat escaping.
- With your heating, set temperature to between 18 and 20 degrees. Every degree you reduce heat can save up to 10 per cent on your energy use. If your heating system doesn’t have a thermostat, a room thermometer can help you keep your home in the perfect temperature zone.
- Hot water uses a lot of energy and accounts for a big part of your energy bill, so having shorter showers can add up to big savings over time. It’s easy to turn to a warm shower as an instant heat up, but staying in the shower uses up to 20 times as much energy as standing under two heat lamps instead. Consider switching your showerhead for a new water-efficient one.
- If cold air is getting in, warm air is getting out. Stop heat escaping by investing in door seals, draft-proofing strips and door snakes to reduce your heating costs by up to a quarter.
- Reducing the area you need to heat by closing the doors to rooms you aren’t using, such as laundries and bathrooms, means you’ll use less energy to heat the rest of the house.
- Rug up! Invest in warm slippers, and warm comfy clothes to put on when you are at home. Consider heat packs or water bottles to stay warm instead of always turning to the heater. Invest in some cosy throws for the sofa for nights in to stay warm.