Its hard to think about the depths of winter as the sunny Bank Holiday weekend approaches; however with the rather gloomy announcement of the new energy cap prices released today we have been forced to address the chill and the dramatic increase in one fail swoop.
The good news is you don’t just have to sit and wait to be hit by soaring bills; there are things you can do now that may just help. We have compiled a few clever changes you can make for a small outlay, some energy-saving upgrades that are actually worth it and that will last for this winter, and beyond. So lets look at how you can spend now to save later.
1. Up Your Energy
You can generate your own energy if you install solar electricity panels on your roof. This will currently save a typical 3 bedroom home £474 a year by creating free energy and also selling any excess power back to an energy supplier.
2. Boost Your Boiler
Buying and installing an A-rated condensing boiler, with a thermostat and thermostatic radiator controls, costs about £4,000. If it replaces a D-rated boiler, the energy savings would be £380 a year.
3. In With The New
Replace old appliances with low energy efficiency, with more energy efficient, models. For example by replacing a D-rated machine with an A-rated one means savings amount to around £50 a year, going up to £100 and £119 in October and January.
4. Smart Thinking
A smart thermostat can be controlled remotely from your mobile phone and typically costs from £150-£300, but can cut energy bills by 14pc. This means savings of £275 a year at today’s prices, £501 from October and £597 from January.
5. Wrap Up Warm
Insulating walls costs about £12,000 for a three-bedroom semi-detached home, resulting in savings of £390 a year – more than any other kind of insulation. The savings are expected to go up to £709 in October and £844 in January.
6. Keep The Heat In
The yearly savings to be had if all of a home’s single glazed windows are replaced are £145. This is expected to go up to £264 a year from October and £314 in January. Making windows more energy efficient also has the added bonus of reducing the noise levels from outside.
If you found this article helpful please do comment, share and save.