In the hope of staving off potential bankruptcy from the arrival of next month’s utility bill, we often rush to “A-rated” lighting and electrical appliances to drastically reduce these ever-increasing expenses. While “A-rated” plays its part, it might surprise that lighting and electrical appliances account for only 13% of our household’s energy use.
If you really want to wrestle your utility bills into submission, here are some simple ways to go after the biggie that uses 60% of our home energy… space heating.
✅ Use a heating timer to take advantage of cheap smart meter tariff times; place heat-reflecting foil behind radiators and prevent curtains from hanging over them; turn heating off an hour before bed (as radiators will still continue to heat for some time); lower the living room thermostat to 19°C and the bedroom to 15°C; turn radiators off in rooms not used and close those doors; and regularly bleed your radiators using a radiator key.
✅ Also try fitting draught excluders around your attic door; use carpets and rugs to help insulate cold floors; take advantage of solar gain by keeping south-facing windows clean and making sure nothing blocks sunlight falling on heat-absorbing surfaces; use rubber strips and silicone sealant to reduce draughts from windows; apply clear plastic film to the inside of windows as a cheap insulating secondary glazing solution; if you never use the chimney, block it up with a chimney balloon; close curtains at night; and use a cosy blanket to snuggle up on the couch.
So go on and enjoy your home comfort, it shouldn’t cost the earth!