Saving Money on Your Home Energy Costs

If there is one thing which is on everyone's minds in recent months it would be the fact that energy prices have sky-rocketed. With winters often dominated by snowy, extremely cold weather, it has become a struggle for many householders to efficiently heat their homes and it has led to people resorting to all kinds of ways to avoid turning on the heating. In some cases this simply means going cold or going without other essentials. Making sure that you are doing everything you can to save energy and to make the most of the schemes which are available is one of the best ways to stay ahead of the game. ven when energy prices are out of your control, you can have control over how much you use, and we aim to show you how. Basic energy saving tips !efore we get into more specific ways you can save money on energy, you need to be sure that all the basics are covered. "ake a look at cheap or free ways you can easily save money around the home# "urn down your thermostat and put on a $umper % you can save &'( a year by turning down you heating by $ust ) degree. Make sure you are using your heating timer efficiently % don't have it come on when you are not home. If you have a high pressure shower, try turning down the water pressure. *ou will use less energy and less water too. If your oven is on, use it to cook several meals at once and use the residual heat to heat your kitchen by leaving the door open. +eep your fridge and free,er full % even with water bottles or bricks. - full free,er or fridge uses less energy to stay cool. Wash your clothes at a lower temperature and always make sure the washer is full .this goes for the dishwasher too/. 0ry your clothes outside or in a heated room % avoid the tumble dryer if you can. 1witch off your appliances when you are not using them % lights too 2se heavy curtains at night and open them if it is sunny outside during the day. Make the most of all government schemes, energy company offers and switch energy suppliers if it is better for you .more on these later/.

More ideas for creating a warm home

0ouble 3la,ing While most of the heat we lose out of our home heads straight out of the roof, your windows can also be responsible for a good percentage. In fact, according to the nergy 1aving "rust, you could save &)4( a year $ust by changing your single gla,ed windows to double gla,ing. Insulation It is recommended that we have 54(mm of loft insulation to prevent heat loss through our roof. 6ust by doing this you can save around &)7( each year and considering it only costs &8(( to install, this is a great cheap option which will get you your money back 9uickly. "here are also a number of free insulation schemes available % mostly through energy companies. Wall cavity insulation is another way to reduce the amount you spend on energy. It may not be suitable for all homes but if installed it can save you up to &):( per year. ;nce again there are some free schemes still available. !oiler replacement If your boiler is old, you will certainly save money on your heating if you replace it. It is an expensive business, so make sure you have looked at our section on grants to see if you 9ualify for help to pay for it. <owever you could save more than &8(( a year by buying a new boiler. 1mart meters "he government is rolling out the installation of smart meters in all homes across the 2+. "his is expected to be completed by 5(5( and should result in lowered bills for most people. It simply allows you to check how much energy you are using and to make changes to reduce consumption in an informed way. It will also mean more accurate billing. 1witching suppliers =robably one of the most effective ways to save significant amounts on your energy bills is to switch your supplier. "his is especially the case if you have not switched before. "he process is simple and involves going to a comparison site, such as 2switch and inputting your details. "his will include the details from your last bill. *ou will then be given a list of the best and cheapest supplier to choose from. It is possible to save hundreds of pounds over a year by doing this. nergy suppliers are now obliged to inform you when they have a tariff which might suit you better and the government is looking at ways to speed up the switching process. -t present it can can around ' weeks in total, but most of the work is done by the new supplier and it is very straightforward. Generating your own energy ;ne of the best ways to really, truly ensure you are not influenced by the cost of energy is to make your own. It usually re9uires some investment, but in the long term and with the

help of government incentives, micro-generation of energy is a great idea. 1olar panels >ollowing the initial investment, you will receive free energy from the sun which can be used, sold back to the grid and you will receive a feed-in-tariff from the government. It is thought that for an investment of around &7,((( you can expect to get around a '? return over 5( years .around &7(( each year/ once all of these factors are taken into account. *ou may also get help to pay for installation under the 3reen 0eal. 3round@air source heat pumps Ideal for use in situations where there is no access to gas central heating, these systems take the air from outside or the warmth from the ground, condenses it and feeds it into your home to heat your underfloor radiators or even your hot water. "hese technologies may be eligible for the Aenewable <eat Incentive, once it becomes open to households. *ou can expect to pay between &',((( and &)(,((( for installation, but could save anywhere from &)(( to &'B( each year depending on the type of fuel you are replacing. -ir source heat pumps are eligible for 3reen 0eal finance, but ground source heat pumps are not. Wind turbines We are all familiar with large scale wind turbines, but smaller ones can also be installed on your home. *ou will be able to receive a feed-in-tariff for a wind turbine and the electricity you make can be stored to use when it is less windy. *our system could cost as little as &5,((( or larger ones can go for as much as &55,(((. *ou can help to pay this with the 3reen 0eal % however what savings you make will depend on the si,e system. *ou are likely to need planning permission for a wind turbine. Grants and payment schemes "he 3reen 0eal "his government flagship scheme is designed to allow you to pay for certain home improvements which will reduce your energy bills. "he basic premise is that you take out a loan and pay it off via your energy bills, which will be lower due to the effects of the changes you have made. "he process re9uires you to have an assessment to ensure your home is suitable and you may become eligible for a cashback on your chosen improvement. "his scheme has been slow to get off the ground, although the cashback portion has proven to be very stressful. nergy Company ;bligation . C;/ nergy companies are currently obliged to use a portion of the money paid to them from their customers to support those in fuel poverty or those on low incomes, the elderly or disabled. -s part of this obligation they offer free insulation, cheap boiler installation and other measures designed to keep you warm. "his is paid for via a green levy on our bills. It is expected that the government may reduce or even remove this levy in its next statement % thus reducing the amount of money energy companies can dedicate to this cause.

>eed-in-tariffs If you install certain micro-generation systems such as solar panels, you may become eligible for a tariff on the energy you produce. "he government sets this tariff and bases it on the cost of the system among other things. "he cheaper the system becomes to install the less feed-in-tariff is offered. "his amount has fallen significantly over the years, but still represents a '? return in most cases. "he measures must be installed by someone registered under the Microgeneration Certification 1cheme .MC1/. Aenewable <eat =remium =ayment .A<==/ If you want to install a renewable heating system into your home you may be able to receive a one-off payment to help with the installation costs. "his only applies to certain systems and the amount varies. "his scheme was intended to stop once the 3reen 0eal started, but it has been extended until the Aenewable <eat Incentive takes its place. 3reen 0eal assessment must be conducted to become eligible. Council grants 1ome councils still offer grants to anyone who is on certain benefits or those on very low incomes. "his can be used for the installation of insulation, double gla,ing or new boilers among other measures. *ou will need to check with your own council to see if you are able to apply. Government / supplier grants "he following grants may be available for you if you are elderly, on benefits or disabled. Fuel Direct# "he benefits office can pay for your energy direct to your supplier if you are in debt and struggling to pay. "hey will pay an agreed amount. Winter Fuel Payment# "hose aged over '( can get a lump sum of &5(( while those aged over 7( receive &8(( to help with fuel costs. Cold Weather Payment# "hose on certain benefits will get &5B per seven day period where the weather remains lower the ( degrees Celsius. Warm Home Discount: 1truggling customers may be able to receive an annual credit from their suppler of &)8( to help with bills. >or more information on the above grants, visit the Citi,ens -dvice or the nergy 1aving "rust to see what you might be able to get help with.