Households are feeling the pinch as energy bills continue to rise, owing to an ongoing crisis in the sector. But things are about to get a whole lot more difficult, with the energy price cap due to increase yet again. Now that switching energy suppliers is no longer a viable way to keep costs down, what are the best ways to limit your household’s spending on gas and electricity?
Your Home’s Energy Efficiency
Before you commit to making any major changes to your home, you should first understand how energy efficient your home is currently. The easy way to go about this is to consult the EPC rating your home likely has. EPC stands for Energy Performance Certificate, and rates properties according to their energy usage; if you bought or let your home since 2008, it will have one of these certificates, as well as some direct recommendations on how to improve said rating.
If you don’t have, or can’t find your EPC, you can instead audit your own home for energy efficiency by checking for the presence of insulation, door, and window seals and looking into the efficiency of your central heating. These are some of the chief areas you can improve your home for better energy efficiency – so let’s look into them in a little more detail!
Ways to Improve Your Home’s Energy Efficiency
Boiler and Appliances
Your central heating accounts for the majority of your energy usage in a given year, making it a prime target for improvement and efficiency. Installing an efficient boiler can make all the difference straight away, while using pipe insulation and a hot water tank jacket can help mitigate heat lost in transit.
Insulation
Speaking of insulation, make sure your home has cavity wall insulation to prevent heat loss through your exterior walls. If your home was built before the 1920s, you may have a solid wall – in which case, external wall insulation could significantly improve your home’s heat retention.
Draught-Proofing
Draught-proofing your home can have a huge effect on your bill; moving air feels colder than still air, and by eliminating draughts in your home you can increase the temperature ‘feel’ in your home – reducing your bills as a result.
What Can You Do Personally?
Together, these improvements to your home can make a serious dent in your energy bill expenditure – but there’s more you can do as a household to limit spending. For starters, wearing extra layers instead of turning on the heating is a simple habit to make, and one that can save hours of boiler usage a week. Turning appliances off instead of leaving them on standby can also save money, as can avoiding the frivolous use of your tumble dryer and dishwasher.
