Owning a house comes with plenty of outgoing costs. Whilst we can’t control all of these costs, there are some things we can do to limit some of the amounts we’re paying. One of the biggest outgoing costs for many homeowners is due to their energy and water consumption. Luckily, there are ways we can reduce the amount we’re spending on these household bills.
Cut down on draughts
Starting with the simple yet effective solutions, cutting down on draughts can save you around £50 a year. Start by keeping doors and windows shut whenever possible. You can also purchase draught-proofing strips to use on windows, doors, and even on loft hatches. If you have a fireplace that is never used, you can fit a cap to the chimney pot.
Insulate your home
Insulating your loft space and cavity walls is a must-do if it hasn’t already been done! This will stop heat from escaping through the walls and the roof and will help to reduce your heating bills. Insulation with a thickness of 270mm is recommended for the best results.
LED lights
Swapping your halogen bulbs for LED lights can save you huge amounts over time; especially in modern kitchens and bathrooms which often feature numerous lights. There are many benefits to using LED lights over halogen. They are much more energy efficient than halogen bulbs, which give off 70% of the energy used to power it in the form of heat. LED lights cost drastically less to run and they also last 25 times longer. Switching to LED lights can save you up to 90% on your lighting bills!
Get a smart meter
Smart meters are small devices that provide you with real time figures on how much energy you’re using. This will help you identify areas for cutting down on energy usage. They are relatively cheap, costing around £25. However, many energy suppliers will provide free smart meters for your home.
Replace the boiler
With approximately 60% of our energy bills spent on running a boiler, it can often be a smart move to upgrade to a new boiler and cut this cost down. ‘Which?’ estimate that a new condensing model boiler can save you up to £652 a year compared to an old G-rated gas boiler. However, a new boiler doesn’t come cheap, costing around £3,000. So if cost-cutting takes priority over energy efficiency, you may want to wait until your current boiler is on its last legs.
Consider a water meter
Unlike your energy supplier, you can’t change your water supplier as this is restricted by your location, however, you can change how you’re paying for water. Without a water meter, you will be billed based purely on the size of your property. However, with a water meter, you will be billed based on your usage. This is a popular option for people living in a property with fewer people than bedrooms, or limited water usage.
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