Britons can ‘save over £100 a year’ on energy with one switch

Money saving tips: Man shares one simple trick to save cash

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

As the cost of living crisis continues, and energy bills are set to rise, many people will be looking for ways to try and save some money on their bills. The experts at BOXT have provided their top tips on how to save money on energy bills

Andy Kerr, Founder of BOXT shared insider tips on how to save money on energy bills.

He said: “You could save over £100 a year with one thing – by turning the heating down by just one degree.

“If everyone in the UK turned their thermostat down by just one degree it would save the same amount of carbon equivalent to 370 million trees being planted and 1.9 trillion emails being sent.”

As well as turning the thermostat down by one degree, Mr Kerr suggests that Britons should check they have the best boiler type for their home.

Depending on the efficiency rating of one’s current boiler and the type of home they live in, Britons could save up to £580 a year on their energy bills simply by upgrading to a new A rated boiler, and this is without having to change the way they use it.

He shared an example of someone living in a detached house who could save up to £580 a year on their energy bill if they’re upgrading from a G-rated to an A-rated boiler.

This is over 20 percent of the cost of the average new boiler installation.

Additionally, people can service their boiler and make savings.

Mr Kerr said: “As well as ensuring your boiler manufacturer warranty remains valid, having a regular boiler service enables it to run as efficiently as possible as well as helping to prolong the lifespan of your boiler, so you keep your energy bills low and don’t have to think about paying for a new boiler for even longer.”

Another tip given was to ensure boilers are programmed.

Research undertaken by BOXT found only 27.3 percent of people schedule their boilers, meaning their boilers are unlikely to be operating as efficiently as possible, and homes won’t be maintaining the optimum comfortable temperature.

Mr Kerr continued: “Investing in a smart thermostat gives you full control over the temperature of your home from wherever you are. Data from Google suggest that you can save up to 16 percent annually on your energy bills by using a Nest Learning Thermostat.

“The smart technology learns from your habits and can therefore build a schedule that works perfectly for your household, ensuring your boiler is operating as efficiently as possible. If you don’t have a smart thermostat, still make sure you make full use of the thermostat controls to programme your boiler to only come on when you need it.

Using a smart meter can help keep energy costs down.
Smart meters can help people better understand their energy usage via the in-home display.

Mr Kerr added: “With more information on your day-to-day energy use, you can see when you’re using the most energy, and identify ways to cut back and in turn save money.

“With the rising cost of living, smart meters can help to eliminate inaccurate bills, as they feedback directly to your energy supplier, therefore you shouldn’t get an unexpectedly high bill.

“Additionally, installing thermostatic radiator valves to control the temperature room by room and using them with your thermostat could save £75 per year according to the Energy Saving Trust.

“They recommend using the thermostat to control the heat in your main living space and using thermostatic radiator valves to lower the heating in rooms you don’t use as often.”

Mr Kerr also mentioned people can keep the boiler on, even if they’re away, as a tip to save money.

To prevent frozen pipes, which can cause hundreds of pounds of damage, the Energy Saving Trust recommends people leave the heating on to some degree during winter, even if they’re not at home.

Britons should check their home insurance policy before they go away. The rule of thumb is to keep the heating at a minimum 12 degrees, rather than switching it off completely.

In addition to wall, roof and floor insulation keeping the heat in your home, insulating the water tank, pipes and radiators is a quick and easy way to improve efficiency; saving energy and therefore money.

He explained with options such as a hot water cylinder jacket, which people can fit themselves at a cost of only around £15, individuals can quickly start making improvements.

Source: Read Full Article