FOUR TIPS TO HELP REDUCE YOUR ENERGY BILLS AND CARBON EMISSIONS
1. By turning down your central thermostat by 1 degree, you could save around 10% on your energy bill. If everyone in Great Britain turned their thermostat down by 1 degree, we would reduce energy bills by £670 million while saving 3.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year. However, make sure your home is warm enough during cold weather to ensure you don’t damage your health. The ideal temperature range to set your thermostat is 18-21 degrees.
2. Replace your bulbs when you can with energy-efficient LEDs. On average, it could save about £40 a year on bills. If everyone changed their remaining bulbs to LEDs, Great Britain would save £1.1 billion on our collective energy bills and cut out 1.8 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.
3. Get your timing right. As many of us continue to work from home, if you are taking advantage of not having to commute by getting up later, set your heating to come on later in the morning. If you have a timer on your central heating, set it to come on only when required and, if possible, get a smart meter installed, which is estimated to help reduce a household’s electricity use by 2.8% and gas use by 2%. Other schemes are available in other parts of the UK: • Scotland – Home Energy Scotland • Wales – if you are finding it challenging to keep your home warm or cope with your energy bills, contact the Welsh Government Warm Homes Nest Scheme • Northern Ireland – contact Northern Ireland Energy Advice
4. Draught-proofing windows and doors, blocking cracks in the floor, and skirting boards can save around £20 a year on energy bills.