Everyone wants to know the best ways to save money long term. We have put together a list of effective ways to reduce your annual energy bill while reducing your carbon emissions. You may be eligible for a grant as part of the Green Deal to help cover costs of home improvements such as insulation, heating and double glazing. For more information, view our previous blog: shorturl.at/dfhuF

1. Insulate your roof and walls

• Loft insulation for an average semi detached house is £300 and could save you £750 on your bills after 5 years. If you receive certain benefits you may qualify for the Energy Company Obligation Scheme which can help you cover the cost of installation.
• 1/3 of heat loss escapes through your walls. Cavity wall insulation saves you up to £165 per year on heating, meaning you can recover the cost in 5 years.

 2. Upgrade your double glazing

• Insulating your windows can save up to £160 per year. Plus, it keeps your house nice and quiet!

3. Upgrade your boiler

• Your boiler accounts for around 55% of your energy bills. If it hasn’t been replaced for 10 years or more, it would be a good idea to do so as you could save up to £205 per year when replacing an old gas boiler with a new condensing one.

4. Install a smart thermostat

• This will automatically turn your heating off and on and save you money on heating bills. Contrary to popular belief, it is much cheaper to keep heating at  constant temperature over winter than to constantly turn it off and on.

5. Switch to a better energy plan

• Look for a better, preferably with a renewable energy source

6. Buy energy efficient appliances

• Pay attention to both the initial purchase price and the annual operating cost. For energy efficient appliances, the initial price is likely to be more but the operating cost should be far cheaper.

7. Be mindful day to day

• Always remember to turn off all lights and shut all windows when you leave the house.
• Consider leaving your clothes on a washing line to dry rather than using a tumble dryer, or doing the dishes by hand.
• Bleed your radiator once a year to keep it as energy efficient as possible or opt for a standalone heater in a select number of rooms rather than using central heating.

8. Replace your lightbulbs

• Traditional incandescent lightbulbs consume an excessive amount of electricity and need to be replaced much more frequently than energy efficient ones. Energy efficient lightbulbs (CFLs and LEDs) are more expensive but use 25-80% less electricity and last 3-25x longer than traditional lightbulbs.

9. Use smart power strips

• ‘Phantom loads’ are the electricity used when electronics are off or in standby. An estimated 75% of energy used to power electronics are ‘phantom loads’. Using smart strips will shut off the power completely when your electronics are not in use.

10. Solar panels

• Solar panels are expensive but in the long run they are the best thing you can do to save money and make your home more energy efficient. A 3.5kW panel in south England could save £300 in the first year, and have a 5% rate of return over the rest of it’s 25 year lifetime. Cost and installation of solar panels today will be around £2500-£8000 but they are 70% cheaper than they were in previous years.

Here at Red Squirrel Property Shop we have two qualified energy assessors. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to call us on 01983 521212