The UK is experiencing a once-in-a-generation cost-of-living crisis, as the cost of electricity and gas to consumers has continued to soar since late 2021. With Ofgem’s price cap now the cheapest possible price for energy, changing tariffs is no longer a viable way to reduce the impact of your energy bill on your finances.
Instead, you should turn to more practical solutions for bringing down the amount you spend on energy. Increasing energy efficiency in your home is the single most effective way to lower energy costs; the following represent four simple ways to do this.
Replace Your Boiler
With efficiency your primary concern, one of the first places you should look to increase efficiency is your home’s boiler. Make sure your existing boiler is efficient, and seek to replace it with a new one if not. Energy-efficient boilers can make a significant difference to the cost of heating, and lessen the impact of the energy bill price-hike in the long term.
Keep the Curtains Drawn
A considerable amount of your home’s heat escapes through your windows, even if they are double- or triple-glazed. Many radiators, especially those in living spaces and bedrooms, are placed directly under windows, meaning much of the heat they produce is lost immediately. Drawing your curtains, and tucking the hems of your curtains under themselves towards the window, can provide an additional degree of insulation, encouraging heat to propagate further into each room.
Cavity Wall Insulation
Another longer-term solution for weathering an energy crisis that could last years is to address your home’s cavity walls. Cavity walls are better for home insulation than solid exterior walls, but can still wick a large amount of heat from your home. Filling your cavity walls with insulation can improve your home’s energy efficiency, saving you up to £310 a year on your energy bill.
Tin Foil Behind the Radiators
In the short-term, there are a number of household ‘hacks’ for preserving heat. One common hack is to stick a layer of acrylic or even clingfilm to each of your windows, which can act as an insulating layer in the same fashion as double-glazing. But perhaps the most effective of them all is the deployment of tin foil behind your home’s radiators.
Tin foil can reflect heat back into the home, and is especially useful when used to redirect heat from radiators installed on exterior walls. Rather than losing heat to outside, heat is reflected back into the room, creating a palpable difference in room temperature and a measurable impact on your monthly energy bill.