Cutting your energy bills doesn’t necessarily mean spending thousands on a complete overhaul. Here are five top tips on how to reduce your home energy bills without breaking the bank.
Lock Up
It’s common sense to keep doors and windows closed in cold weather to stop warm air escaping, but you can make an even bigger difference by locking windows and doors. The security systems within the locking mechanism are strong enough to prevent forced entry, but also reduce any escaping air.
Use the Sun
More and more people are investing in solar panels to harvest the sun’s natural energy, and have even provided some with grants to encourage people to use them. While solar panels are fantastic piece of technology, their price and size makes them unobtainable for many.
You can still use the sun’s natural energy without solar panels. In the depths of winter, the sun is still emitting energy even through the clouds and there are often bright and sunny days. Even if you can’t feel its warmth, you can harvest it by keeping curtains open and letting the light stream in. Increase the effect by installing new, aluminium radiators like those from http://apolloradiators.co.uk/View/3/52/129/category/modena/modena-horizontal- and your rooms will be toastier than ever!
Chimney Fix
If you live in a traditional house with a chimney, you may enjoy the odd roaring fire. Given the price and inconvenience of buying coal and wood, however, the likelihood is that your main source of heating is the boiler. The problem with open fires is that the chimney is open to the elements, and you can often feel draughts.
Luckily, you can use ‘chimney balloons’ to fill up the space in the chimney, blocking cold air and stopping hot air from escaping. The balloons have a mechanism that makes them deflate if you light a fire having forgotten they’re there.
Wrap it Up
This is an old student trick that really works. By placing transparent plastic wrap onto your windows and glass doors, you can save up to fourteen per cent on your heating bill.
The wrap must be heated using a hairdryer in order to stick to the glass. Once it has cooled it will stay in place, providing more insulation from the elements for next to nothing!