As a result of the current energy crisis and rising costs of living in the UK, households across the country are understandably worried about how to manage their soaring bills.
A 54% rise in the energy price cap came into effect on 1st April and the BBC reports that another rise is expected in October.
Unfortunately, there is little that consumers can do about rising energy prices, however, there are steps we can all take to reduce the amount of energy we use and in turn, lower our bills.
Here are some suggestions on how to lower the amount of energy you use in your home and how to curb your energy bills.
Improve the energy efficiency of your home
Improving the energy efficiency of your home can help keep your house warm and reduce the amount of energy required to heat it.
Investing in alternative methods of heating your home, such as underfloor heating, for example, or heat pumps, have an initial outlay cost but can help you save money on your energy bills in the long term.
Having installers improve the energy efficiency of your home can drastically reduce your energy bills.
There are also simple things you can do to improve the energy efficiency of your home, such as ensuring your windows are properly sealed and using a draught excluder in cold weather.
It is also important to maintain and repair the exterior of your home, for example, mending cracks in walls and guttering.
Swap your energy suppliers
An easy way to reduce your bills is to compare different energy suppliers and find the right supplier to suit your needs.
Energy suppliers offer different tariffs and deals to their customers depending on a range of factors such as the size of their home, their typical energy usage and how they want to pay for their energy.
For example, some suppliers offer discounts for paying your energy bill via direct debit. Utilising comparison websites can make it easier to help you decide on which provider to switch to.
Lower your thermostat temperature
Lowering the overall temperature in your home can help to greatly reduce your energy costs. You can do this by turning down the thermostat on your central heating to lower the temperature of your radiators. You can also reduce the temperature of your hot water in the same way, which can help to bring your bills down.
Another way to curb your energy bills is to only heat the rooms you are using. So turn off radiators in rooms you do not need to heat and keep doors and windows closed when the heating is on.
In summary
Increasing energy prices are a cause of concern to many UK households who are facing rising bills but if you are concerned about the amount of energy you are using in your home, there are steps you can take to curb your energy bills.