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Tips for keeping energy bills down…and heat in!
This article is an external press release originally published on the Landlord News website, which has now been migrated to the Just Landlords blog.
Winter is upon us and for many over 50’s, this can lead to months of worrying about their energy bills.
As temperatures plummet, one in five people in this age bracket said that they will struggle to pay their bills, with one in ten saying that they would go to bed earlier or get up later to avoid putting their heating on.
Concern
Despite energy prices remaining fairly constant from the same period this year, over half of over 50’s are concerned about the cost of their energy bills ahead of the coldest period. The greatest concerns are from those living in the North East, Scotland and Wales.
61% of over 50’s said that they would have to wear extra clothing or just put the heating on at certain times of the day in order to economise. 30% said that they would only heat certain parts of their home, while 30% said that they would only heat specific rooms.
Shockingly, one in eight people said they wouldn’t go in some rooms of their home due to the cold!
Lisa Harris, head of communications for Saga, said, ‘keeping warm in winter is not a luxury it’s essential for many to keep fit and well over the winter months. People shouldn’t be afraid of putting the heating on, but one in ten admit that they would only put their heating on as a last resort. However, there are often lots of relatively simple measures that people can take to help keep control of their energy bills.’[1]
Tips for keeping energy bills down…and heat in!
Tips to stay warm!
Before it is too late and Jack Frost and his friends take their grip on proceedings, here are five top-tips to keep heat in and costs down:
- Properly seal windows and doors
20% of heat from a home escapes through cracks in doors and windows. Using draught excluders, curtains and efficiently sealing windows can massively help in keeping properties toasty warm
- Put heating on a timer
By setting a central heating timer, bills can be slashed. Setting the heating to come on for a couple of hours on the morning and in the evening is much-more cost effective than leaving it on all day! What’s more, those chilly showers in the morning will be a little more bearable when the heating has been on for a while!
- Insulate your loft
It has been proven that loft insulation is effective for at least 40 years and can save up to £250 on energy bills every year. Those living in bungalows should look at getting their loft insulated as a priority, with the larger surface area of the roof in comparison to a house meaning heat can escape at a faster rate.
- Get walls insulated
Insulating walls properly can save the average property owner £460 per year on energy bills. It is important to get the correct type of insulation installed. Either Cavity Wall Insulation or Internal/External Wall Insulation will reduce heat loss.
- Turn off electrical items
The Energy Saving Trust suggests that homeowners in the UK could save £1.7bn per year by turning off electrical items. Turning off lights, TV’s, phone chargers and game consoles are all measures that could save money. Don’t think that by putting something on standby means that it is off…turn it off properly!
[1] http://www.propertyreporter.co.uk/household/top-tips-to-save-energy-and-cut-fuel-bills.html
