Maximise the energy efficiency of your home
The habits to adopt now ahead of further energy price hikes this autumn
With the 1st of April energy price hike now taking effect, heating expert, Alpha, shares home energy saving tips to help save on household bills – and considers the habits you can adopt now to protect against further price rises when the energy price cap comes to an end on 1st October 2022.
Jonathan Kidner, Product Engineer at Alpha, explains: “In order to create comfort in your home without wasting energy and money, there are many useful steps you can take. Here are our expert tips, from looking after your boiler and using heating economically to introducing small, every-day habits, that will make big difference to your energy bills over the long term.”
- Look after your boiler and it will look after you
More than half of what you spend annually on energy typically goes on heating so ensure your boiler is always running efficiently by having it regularly serviced. This will help maintain its performance and help prevent it breaking down. It is recommended that services are carried out once a year and always by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
- Establish good home heating habits
One of the best ways to heat your home economically is to learn how to control the settings of your heating system so it delivers the optimum temperature for your lifestyle and comfort level, while ensuring you only use the energy you need. From simple plug-in mechanical clocks to versatile remote timers there are a range of controls available for today’s high efficiency boilers.
In addition, think about what room temperature you normally set and reduce it by just 1ºC – you won’t notice any difference and you can cut heating bills by up to £75 a year in a typical home.
To help, we have created an online checklist that you can carry out in your home to ensure your heating system is running as efficiently as possible.
- Maximise efficiency of your radiators
Bleeding radiators helps to release air that has become trapped inside, which improves the overall efficiency of your heating system. If you have thermostatic radiator valves, turn them down or off in rooms that are not regularly used so you’re not paying for heat you don’t need.
Other tips to consider include using radiator reflectors to bounce heat back into the room, keeping furniture away from radiators and avoiding drying clothes directly on or in front of heaters.
- Optimise the efficiency of household appliances
We have so many appliances in our homes that run 24/7, so a little bit of regular maintenance will ensure they are working as efficiently as possible. For example, regularly defrosting your freezer and checking fridge and freezer door seals aren’t damaged, will prevent those appliances having to work harder than necessary.
Also, be mindful when directly using appliances – don’t leave your fridge open longer than required and only boil as much water as you need in your kettle. Little changes can add up to significant savings over time.
- Switch appliances off when not is use
Finally, avoid leaving appliances on standby as they can consume up to 75% of the energy they use when switched on. Also, try and get into the habit of switching lights off when you leave a room and turning off computers when not in use. Unplug or turn off chargers even if they are not plugged into a device.
For further information about Alpha, visit alpha-innovation.co.uk