how to save energy at home

Here we have some great energy-saving tips to help you reduce your heating and electric bills. If you're struggling with finances and budgeting, our handy advice reveals how to save energy at home and we'll also outline our means-tested energy costs payment.

1. look after your radiators

Maintaining the efficiency of your radiators will help to ensure they’re working properly throughout the colder months. Bleeding and balancing radiators is crucial to ensure they’re heating up properly and aren’t full of any nasty sludge that may be causing cold spots. You should aim to carry out a health check for your radiators before the colder season when they’re likely to be used regularly.

2. prevent draughts

Warm air can escape through floorboards, doors, windows and even chimneys. It’s important to keep your rooms free from draughts to ensure no heat escapes throughout the day. Invest in draught excluders, draught-proofing strips or even chimney excluders to close the gaps and holes where heat may leave your home. This will help to conserve energy and keep your heating bills lower.

3. invest in efficient appliances

While the one-off cost of a new appliance may be a substantial cost, the year-on-year savings you could achieve will be worth the upfront spend. Aim for washing machines and fridge freezers with an A rating, as these typically use much less energy than older models and can help to consistently reduce your energy bills.

5. turn off standby appliances

Turning appliances off at the plug can help you to save money on your energy bills. After using appliances such as kettles, microwaves, phone chargers or hairdryers, simply turn the switch off at the wall to ensure you’re not wasting excess electricity.

6. introduce soft furnishings

Carpets, fabric sofas, curtains and rugs are great at absorbing heat so will keep your rooms warmer for longer if you incorporate these into your space. Invest in rugs if you have wooden floors to trap in the heat and prevent draughts that may arise from floorboards. This is a great way to keep your house warmer for longer.

7. how to save water at home

You can reduce your water bills in your home by making these few changes:

• install a water-saving shower head
• use flow regulators in your taps to reduce flow rate
• use a washing up bowl rather than a running tap when doing the dishes
• time your showers so you're not wasting uneccessary water

8. don’t dry your washing on radiators

Avoid placing wet clothes, towels and bed sheets on your radiators as these will block the heat from your radiators and prevent your rooms from heating up efficiently. This can also be more expensive as your radiators will have to work even harder to compensate for the heat loss caused by the wet washing.

Drying clothes on radiators can also release excess moisture in the area, causing mould and mildew.

9. compare energy quotes

If your energy bills are becoming unmanageable, it’s a good idea to compare energy suppliers as you may be able to save a proportion of money by switching. Using comparison sites such as MoneySuperMarket can help you to compare estimated yearly and monthly costs to make sure you’re getting the best deal for your energy usage.

If you’re worried about energy costs and would like to speak to someone about the support we offer, don’t hesitate to reach out and speak to a member of our team.

our tools

Take a look at our useful tools below to help get your finances on track. 

budget planners

Our free tools will help you to create an in-depth budgeting plan, easily showing a breakdown of income and expenditure.

savings calculator

If you're looking to get a hold of your savings and organise your finances, this tool is for you.

benefits calculator

Check which UK benefits you may be eligible for, including welfare benefits, grants and other support.

you might also like

5 simple budgeting tips

Do you have a personal budget? This article features plenty of practical budgeting advice and some key benefits of budgeting, as well as five simple budgeting tips to help you get started.

how to create a food budget in 2024

Healthy eating can get expensive but with the right planning it is achievable. Here, we share some practical tips to stretch your budget.

debt toolkit: six-step guide to sorting your finances

Support Officer and debt expert Lee Melling explores the steps you can take to tackle debt effectively. He also reveals how we can help you improve your financial situation.

how to cope with rising costs in 2024

Everywhere you look, prices are creeping up. The current cost of living crisis is leading to people experiencing financial anxiety, regardless of their income and overall money situation. This article shares practical advice for tackling the crisis and financial anxiety.