IT may not be your priority at home but look after your boiler and it will look after you.
More energy is used to heat the water in your home than any other electrical appliance, so it’s worth investing in your system to get it up to scratch.
You can get an annual boiler check which could save you having to replace the whole thing at a later date by spotting faults early.
The older your boiler is the less efficient it is likely to be, so if your model is 15 years or older you should consider changing it. The initial outlay is not cheap at more than £1,000 but by replacing your old G-rated boiler with a new A-rated condensing model you can save up to £235 a year, says the Energy Saving Trust.
If your current boiler is working well keep it that way. Fitting a jacket to your hot water tank can cut wastage and save about £35 a year, while protecting your hot water pipes with insulating material can also save you £10 annually.
Reducing your heating thermostat by 1C can cut up to 10 per cent off your heating costs and for a gas-heated, three-bed semi-detached property, this could work out at a saving of about £55 a year.
ENERGY prices have soared and households will soon feel the pinch of price rises by the big six suppliers in the UK. Families that are struggling to make ends meet will have to contend with average rises of 18 per cent for gas and 16 per cent for electricity with British Gas.
Eon and Scottish and Southern Energy also announced price increases due to come into effect this month and npower will hike prices by 16 per cent for gas and 7 per cent for electricity from October 1. Scottish Power’s rises came into effect last month.
With the nights drawing in and temperatures soon to drop we will all be using more electricity and gas to light and heat our homes.
Making sure you’re paying the cheapest energy tariff is a must. Using comparison websites you can easily switch to save money, particularly if you’ve been with your supplier for a long time.
However, there is no point saving money on your bill if you end up using more energy because it is leaking out of your house.
One of the simplest ways to save money, and help the planet, is to implement energy-saving measures around your home. Improvements can make your home more energy efficient and many can be carried out relatively cheaply.
New EU legislation on energy performance certificates is set to come into effect in 2012 and will make it compulsory for energy ratings to be published in all “homes for sale” adverts. So if you move in years to come you will also have made your home more desirable by implementing some energy-efficient measures.
The Energy Saving Trust (EST) says savings of £300 a year can be made through insulation, improving your heating system and by being energy efficient.
The power of technology
One of the best ways to save on home energy bills is by watching your power consumption.
Many suppliers run schemes offering free monitors to help their customers become more energy efficient. The device will help you see which appliances use the most energy.
Nevertheless, the monitors themselves are only tools to make families more aware of usage. You won’t see savings unless you change your behaviour.
EnergySmart is a free online service that includes a free energy monitor to help save the average household up to £125.
You might want to invest in an electronic timer. This gadget costs as little as £2.50 and will ensure that when you are in bed or at work you are not leaving appliances on standby, saving an estimated 8 per cent on your bill. Visit britishgas.co.uk/howtosave for more advice.
Insulation
The better insulated your home the less energy you need to keep it warm and the more you’ll save.
A third of the heat lost in an uninsulated home is through the walls, so insulating them now can be one of the most cost-effective ways to help slash your bills by as much as £110 a year.
Cavity wall insulation is one of the most cost-effective measures you can take and can slice about £115 a year off your heating bill, according to the EST. However, the initial outlay can be about £500. Loft insulation is a simple job that can cost about £250 to fit and then save up to £150 per year. The recommended thickness is 270mm.
There are grants to help with the cost of insulation (see right ).
About 18 per cent of a home’s wasted heat is lost through its windows, so getting double glazing is another effective energy-saving improvement.
If single glazing is replaced with double glazing you should be able to save about £135 a year in an average property.
Badly fitting doors and windows can be sealed with draught-proofing strips or draught excluders at a cost of up to £200 for savings of around £25 a year.
Appliances
Don’t forget, if you’re buying any new white goods look out for the Energy Efficiency Recommended logo. This is a distinctive blue logo found on goods such as fridges, tumble dryers, dishwashers and lightbulbs.
Replacing all the remaining traditional lightbulbs in your home with energy-saving ones could result in annual savings of about £37 a year.
Also, don’t leave things on standby. A phone left charging overnight can cost £10 a year. The same for a heated towel rail in the bathroom. By paying attention to details the savings will mount up.
Getting help
There are grants available for those who make energy-efficient improvements. If you’re not sure which grants or discounts you may be eligible for contact your council or energy supplier.
The EST (energysavingtrust.org.uk) can direct you to a local energy adviser.
There is also money available from local authorities through grant schemes. Your local council will have information but funding is often tight and runs out before the end of the financial year.
Older people and their families can call Age UK Advice for free information and support on freephone 0800 169 65 65.
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