Ten ways to save £250 a year as energy prices soar
With energy bills soaring in six weeks’ time Midlands energy expert Ron Fox gives ten example of how householders can reduce their bills by up to £250 a year now.
The energy price cap, which is going up on April 1, will see those on default tariffs paying by direct debit an increase of £693 from £1,277 to £1,971 per year. Pre-payment customers will see their payments rising up by £708 a year from £1,309 to £2,017.
The cap was introduced in January 2019 to protect those who were paying too much for their gas and electricity and those who didn’t switch suppliers to get the cheapest deals,
“Many householders are worried as already sales figures have shown a surge in demand for electric blankets, fleece pyjamas and thermal underwear as people try to save money on heating,” said Ron of Noreus Ltd.
But he said there were ten simple changes residents could do now to reduce their energy bills.
1 Turn your lights off when you’re not using them or when you leave a room. Potential saving: £20 a year.
2 Replace all the lights in your home with LED bulbs which are more efficient and use less energy. Potential saving: £2-£3 a year for every traditional halogen bulb you switch to a similar LED bulb.
3 Turn all your appliances off standby mode. You can buy a standby saver or smart plug which allows you to switch them all in one go. Potential saving: £55 a year.
4 Draught-proofing windows and doors and filling in gaps and cracks around the floor and skirting boards and chimneys can make a difference. Potential saving: £40 a year.
5 Use your washing machine on a 30-degree cycle instead of a higher temperature and put it on less often. Potential saving: £28 a year.
6 Avoid using a tumble dryer. Instead, dry clothes on racks inside where possible or outside in warmer weather. Potential saving: £55 a year.
7 Swap just one bath a week for a shower. Saving: £11 a year. Cut your shower time to just 4 minutes. Potential saving: £65 a year for a typical household.
8 Only run your dishwasher when it is full to reduce the amount of water you use. Potential saving: £14 a year.
9 Avoid overfilling the kettle and boiling more water than you are going to use. Potential saving: £11 a year.
10 Effective insulation of your hot water cylinder is important. You can benefit from increasing the insulation to a British Standard Jacket 80mm thick. Potential saving: £35 a year.
“It just shows how taking these small steps can add up to a sizeable reduction in your energy bills,” said Ron, on the University of Keele Science and Innovation Park in North Staffordshire.
For those wanting more advice on green energy and how to cut their heating bills call Ron on 01782 756995.
Caption: Shedding light on problem – Replacing all the lights in your home with LED bulbs, which are more efficient and use less energy, will help cut your energy bills.
