5 ways to save energy this winter
Because of the Covid-19 restrictions, millions of people in the UK continue to work from home, consuming additional energy to run laptops, heat water for tea, and keep the lights on.
As winter draws near, we might also need to start considering turning up the heat during the daytime, which can significantly reduce our energy consumption, heating costs, and carbon footprint.
In order to help people use less energy at home and save money on their bills and carbon emissions this winter, we’ve put together some energy-saving advice for cold weather. An Energy Saving Trust spokesman claims that there is already a tonne of helpful advice available for lowering energy consumption at home.
01
Address draughty areas
Unless your home is very new, you will lose some heat through draughts around doors and windows, gaps in the floor, or up the chimney if you have one.
Professional draught-proofing could cost around £200 for materials and installation for your whole house, but it could save you around £25 a year on energy bills.
02
Invest in new heating controls.
A typical household spends more than half of its energy budget on heating and hot water. Heating controls can be upgraded or installed without replacing your boiler. If your controls are older than 14 years old, it would be a good idea to consider this.
You could reduce your energy use and save about £75 a year by installing thermostatic radiator valves, a programmer, and a room thermostat and using these controls effectively.
By making you aware of how much energy you use, installing a smart metre could also aid in energy conservation.
03
Turn down the thermostat
By using room thermostats, you can keep your house from getting too warm. When the room reaches the temperature you specify, they turn on the heating; they then turn it off until the temperature falls.
The lowest comfortable setting on your thermostat should be between 18 and 21 degrees Celsius. When it is colder outside, you don’t need to raise the thermostat because the house will warm to the desired temperature on its own.
By lowering the temperature in your room by just one degree, you can cut your heating costs by £60 and reduce your household’s carbon footprint by 310 kg each year.
04
Replace your inefficient boiler
Modern boilers use less energy than their predecessors. If your boiler is more than ten years old, you should think about replacing it with a condensing boiler because they are more efficient.
Although boiler replacement costs can vary, a basic gas boiler replacement plus thermostatic radiator valves will typically cost around £2,300. (excluding radiators). A replacement oil boiler might cost about £3,100.
05
Keep the heat in with insulation
We’ve looked at ways to manage your home’s heating, but you also need to consider how to maintain the heat in your home.
Making sure you have adequate insulation on your solid walls or cavity walls could help keep the heat in and reduce your energy costs. About a third of the heat lost in an uninsulated home escapes through the walls.
You might be losing heat from the bottom of your house if you live in a house, bungalow, or ground-floor apartment. You could save about £40 a year by insulating under the floorboards. A great way to stop heat from escaping through the top of your house and cut down on energy use is to insulate the loft or roof.