Conserving Household Energy

As the nights draw in and temperatures start to drop, our thoughts could well be turning to how we can conserve our household energy consumption to stay warm and keep bills as low as possible in light of rising energy prices.

Top of the list should be to insulate as much of your home as possible, as 70% of heat is lost through walls, windows and the roof. If your house was built before the 1990’s it's unlikely to have cavity wall insulation so this could be a good place to start. Insulating your roof is also relatively easy and will save about 25% of heat loss from your home.

Draughts from windows, doors and chimneys cool your house down so the heating must work harder to maintain a warm temperature. Make it a priority to draft proof your house this winter – adding a thermal lining to curtains or installing a letterbox cover and draft doorstops will all help.

In October, National Grid advised it is preparing for the possibility of having to hold three hour rolling blackouts if Britain is unable to import sufficient electricity from Europe or has insufficient gas to meet demand. Businesses and households are being asked to reduce consumption by 5% this winter.

Our top suggestions to cut consumption include – only heat the space you are using so turn the heating and lights off in any rooms you are not using. If you have thermostats on bedroom radiators turn them down until an hour before bedtime to heat the room just before you need it. Use appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines at off peak times, not only will this save you money if you are on a time of use tariff but it will help balance out the demand and help the country keep the lights on at peak time.

For more information and advice visit https://www.theheatinghub.co.uk/