How to save £240 a year on your heating costs
With many householders worried about the soaring cost of keeping their homes warm there is one simple way to help reduce the bills.
Many pet lovers when they go out leave their heating on just for their cats and dogs.
But that could add up to £240 a year to their annual heating bills, said Midlands green energy expert Ron Fox, as that is the average amount needed to heat a large family home from 9am to 5pm or £170 for a three-bed semi.
He was commenting on a report by Dr David Glew, an expert in energy efficiency and policy at Leeds Beckett University, who was giving a talk at the Cheltenham Science Festival.
Dr Glew said that a survey by E.ON showed that 72 per cent of worried owners had left the heating on in their homes to keep their pets warm while they were out.
“In these days of spiraling energy costs, this is one area where residents can save money as they are heating the whole house for a pet usually based in one room,” said Ron, of Noreus Ltd.
He pointed out also that Justine Shotton, president of the British Veterinary Association, said heating wasn’t necessary, especially if the animal was young, healthy and had no fur problems.
The survey by the energy company E.ON also discovered that 31 per cent of people kept a light on for their pet when they went out adding an average £50 a year to electricity bills or £12 if they used the more environmentally friendly LED bulbs.
The same survey showed that 28 per cent left the radio on and 23 per cent kept the TV on with BBC1 and BBC Radio 2 the most popular choices to comfort their pampered pets.
Ron said it would be much more advisable for pet owners to put in loft insulation, which would save on average £40 a year, cavity wall insulation which would cut bills by £80 a year or a new boiler to save £50 a year.
He said there were a number of advantages in having a home insulated. It creates a warm and cosy environment with no more draughts and chills and by preventing heat loss it means cheaper energy bills and is better for the environment. Also, it adds a protective barrier around the home stopping cold, noise and air pollutants coming inside.
“For pet owners it’s a win, win situation,” said Ron, of Noreus Ltd on the University of Keele Science Innovation Park. “The house is warmer so they don’t need to put the heating or lighting on for their pets when they go out so saving money. And insulating their home will save them more money as it will mean cheaper energy bills.”
For more information on how to cut your carbon footprint and your energy bills, call Ron on 01782 756995.
Caption: No heating or lighting is left on for Pippa Butterworth’s dog Rocky when she goes out.
