I’m an energy expert – five little known energy checks that could save you more than £1,000

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Energy bill paper forms on the table closeup

AS energy bills soar, households will want to do these little-known energy checks that could save more than £1,000.

Gas and electricity bills are set to rise even further next month, meaning household budgets will be squeezed even further.

Households could carry out these little known energy checks and save cash

But households could save themselves more than £1,000 by making sure their home is energy efficient.

The calculations were made by sustainability consultancy Eight Versa, which analysed domestic EPC (energy performance certificate) ratings across England and Wales.

An EPC rates how efficient properties are from A (the best) to G (the worst).

It is a legally valid document which provides an energy efficiency rating in relation to a property’s running costs.

You can find your property’s EPC on the government’s website.

In it will be suggestions on green improvements for the house – which will save money on your bills in the long-run.

The energy experts at Eight Versa, say that if the suggestions were implemented, households could make a big saving.

Here are the five little-known energy checks that could save you more than £1,000.

Some energy improvement measures may be relatively inexpensive to install, while others may be a little more costly.

So make sure you factor any potential costs into your budget, so you don’t leave yourself short of cash.

Low-energy lighting

Moving your lighting to more energy efficient bulbs will drastically reduce your energy bills too.

Uswitch says you could save roughly £6 a year per bulb if you swap them to the alternatives.

It might not sound much, but with an average of 12 bulbs in every home, that’s £72 a year.

The bulbs don’t have to be expensive, if you know where to look.

You can pick up LED bulbs from most supermarkets and, as this shopper found, pound shops.

We found a 10 pack on the B&M website for £8.

Boiler replacement

Replacing your old boiler with a new energy-efficient one could save you hundreds.

Boilers that are 10 years or older are much more likely to be inefficient, according to energy comparison site Bionic.

Old boilers are only 60% efficient, which means 40% of energy needed to run them is wasted.

This means you’re unnecessarily driving up your energy bills.

According to British Gas estimates, you can save as much as £840 by replacing your old boiler with an energy-efficient one.

And thousands of households can get grants for replacing their old boiler.

The Energy Company Obligation is a government scheme to help hard-up households make their home more energy efficient.

Insulation

Pesky draughts in your home aren’t just making you chillier – they’re driving up your energy bills too.

It means hot air is leaking out and cold air is coming in, so you’re more likely to turn up the thermostat or leave the heating on longer.

But there are ways to block them up for free or for not a lot of money.

The measures could save you hundreds of pounds, according to experts.

Here, we identified four draught energy-guzzling hotspots in your home – and how to insulate them for free or cheap.

Upgrade heating controls

Thermostat upgrades and room heating controls can help households conserve energy where they need to and waste less at the same time.

You can use them to make sure you’re only heating the parts of your house you use the most, or are occupying at the time.

That way you won’t generate more waste heat that eats away at your pockets.

Replacement windows

Installing double glazing costs an average of around £600 per window, according to Everest.

A budget way to create your own double glazing is by placing a layer of plastic film on window frames to seal up more pockets of hot air that could be escaping, or cold air filtering in.

It can be achieved from as little as 73p if you buy something as simple as cling film from a supermarket such as Asda.

You can buy actual window film kits for around £5 to £10 on Amazon too which is far cheaper than the cost of full double glazing.

But really you can use any material for the second layer of glazing, as long as it’s transparent and airtight.

How much could I save?

As part of a range of cost-of-living support, households currently have the protection of the energy price guarantee, which limits the unit price they pay for electricity and gas.

For a typical household, this will mean an annual bill of around £2,500.

But this will vary depending on factors such as how many people live in a property and how much energy people use.

Eight Versa said its analysis is based on current energy costs and the price cap per unit of energy – and the actual saving will vary depending on factors such as energy prices and any support measures in place.

Chris Hocknell, director at Eight Versa, said: “These results show there’s not just a strong environmental argument for better efficiency and retrofitting our homes; there is also a very powerful economic argument.

“In some regions, the average savings per year are over £1,000.”

Here are the potential average annual cost savings that households could make by making energy efficiency improvements.

  • Wales, £1,292
  • Yorkshire and the Humber, £1,188
  • North West, £1,143
  • South West, £1,078
  • East Midlands, £1,146
  • West Midlands, £1,013
  • East of England, £1,009
  • North East, £1,035
  • South East, £975
  • London, £721

What other help is available?

As part of the Autumn Statement, it was revealed millions on benefits and Universal Credit will receive an extra one-off £900.

Eight million households currently get cost of living payments worth up to £650, but eligibility criteria could change under any new rules.

Right now, eligibility is the list of benefits mentioned above.

Pensioners have also started getting a £300 one-off payment.

The current pensioner cost of living payment is being handed out to millions on a low income.

You qualify under the current rules if you normally get the winter fuel payment, but this could change under the new rules.

The £300 cost of living payment is paid on top of the other winter support.

You’ll need to be:

  • born on or before 25 September 1956
  • have lived in the UK for at least one day during the week of 19 to 25 September 2022 in what is known as the “qualifying week”

Struggling families are eligible for the Warm House Discount to help them tackle the cost of living.

The scheme is where eligible households can get £150 off their electricity bill each winter – but you’ll have to wait until the colder months to get the money off.

Households in England and Wales don’t need to apply to get the cash and they’ll automatically qualify if they are receiving certain benefits.

You can read more about who’s eligible here.

You could also get in touch with your local council to see if they are still running the Household Support Fund.

Charities and other organisations often offer grants, and you might be able to spend that money on energy costs.

You can search for these grants on the Turn2Us website.

There’s also a one-off fuel voucher from your energy supplier if you’re on a prepayment metre.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]

Did you miss our previous article…
https://hellofaread.com/money/millions-of-dedicated-bargain-hunters-brave-freezing-temperatures-in-massive-queues-to-snap-up-post-christmas-deals/