With energy bills on the rise, and temperatures dropping, winter can be an expensive time of the year. It can be tricky to balance not spending too much with making sure your residence is warm enough to be comfortable. Below are several ways to cut down on energy use, from bigger projects such as insulating lofts and walls, to making sure your radiators aren’t having to work double to keep your house warm.

Insulation

• Insulation can make a huge difference in both keeping your house warm and keeping your bills down. 25% of heat is lost through lack of proper roof and loft insulation [1], so insulating these areas can make a huge difference to the warmth of your house. Insulation can save families between £45 and £110 a year [2].
• Wall and floor insulation can also help to save energy and money. Depending on when the property was built, solid or cavity wall insulation can be installed – external walls on houses built before 1920 are likely to be solid walls, which allow more heat to pass through than cavity walls, which are usually found in properties built after 1920.

Windows

• Energy-efficient glazing can help to reduce the amount of heat lost through windows during the cold winter months. Double glazing works by having two panes of glass with a gap between them, usually 16mm, which stops heat from escaping. Triple glazed windows have an extra pane of glass.
• By upgrading from single to double glazing windows you could save between £40 and £175 a year, depending on property size, and the energy rating of the windows [3].

Heating systems

• Have a look at the condition of your heating system – is it performing as it should? Does it need fixing or parts replaced to make sure it’s working as best it can? Newer more efficient models require an initial upfront cost, but save both energy and money over time.
• Set timers so that heat is produced only when you need it, rather than being on all day.

Radiators

• Don’t heat empty rooms! Make sure radiators are turned down in rooms used less often – this reduces your energy use and bills.
• Make sure not to cover your radiators. This stops heat spreading to the rest of the room, and also makes the radiators work harder.

Curtains

• Keep curtains open during the day to let sunlight in and close at dusk to stop heating escaping. Make sure only windows are covered, and not radiators.

Extra Layers

• Before central heating existed the best way (and still one of the best ways) to stay warm was to cover yourself with extra layers – blankets, jumpers and thick socks can help you to stay warmer during the cold winter months without having to turn up the heating!

References

[1] National Insulation Association. Insulation: The Facts and Figures. 2011. http://www.nia-uk.org/media-and-information/uploads%5Cnews%5Cid146%5C20110404_Insulation_Facts_and_Figures_final.pdf

[2] National Insulation Association. Loft Insulation. 2014. http://www.nia-uk.org/householder/index.php?page=loft-insulation

[3] Energy saving trust. Windows. 2014. http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/scotland/Insulation/Windows