Whether you have an all-electric household or a mixture of electricity and gas, how could you cut down on your household expenses?
“Switching out traditional bulbs to LED bulbs means you’ll use up to 80 percent less energy on your light sources,” said Jon Bonnar.
“This can significantly lower your electricity bills, especially in rooms where you use lights extensively.”
Bonnar elaborated: “You may think that energy-efficient bulbs will be duller or less bright, but this isn’t the case – it’s the opposite! LED bulbs typically offer a brighter light for the same wattage.”
Another top hack to keep your home feeling comfortably warm while saving on energy bills is to draughtproof the home.
Bonnar explained: “Draughts let in too much cold air and waste too much heat. They’re most likely to appear around doors, windows, chimneys, fireplaces, floorboards, skirting boards, loft hatches and cracks in your walls.
“Thankfully, simple draught-proofing measures can be an affordable way to instantly reduce your energy bills.”
Draught excluders are useful to block any chilly winds from entering in the home via the front or back doors.
Meanwhile, silicone filler is a great way to reduce the amount of heat that is lost around windows.
Bonnar revealed everyday tweaks that “cost nothing”, but can lead to improvements in energy usage and bills.
“After all, every little counts,” said Bonnar, as households may struggle to keep on top of their outgoings.
“Move furniture away from the radiator,” advised Bonnar, as misplaced furniture could block warm airflow from circulating around the room.
“If you can, move large items of furniture away from your radiator or heater,” said Bonnar.
“The more space, the better – but if it’s a small room, even increasing the gap by a small amount can make an impact.”
Bonnar added: “If your radiator is attached to an external wall, a lot of the heat it produces may escape through the wall.
“Sticking foil behind the radiator is a simple way to reflect heat back into the room and reduce the amount of heat lost.”
Bonnar elaborated: “It can be useful to wrap the foil around pieces of cardboard that are cut to size before installing, as this can make it much easier to fit.
“Alternatively, you could buy specialist radiator foil from most DIY stores.”
Additional hacks include:
- Closing curtains as soon as darkness descends
- Adding wool, cotton, acrylic or nylon rugs to the home
