10 ways to reduce your electricity bill

1. Insulate Your Home

Electric bills go up in winter as we spend more time inside and have to heat our homes to keep warm and comfortable. Insulating your home is one of the best ways to keep you healthy and reduce the amount you spend on heating your home. 

There are a variety of ways to do this, one of the most common and popular is double or triple glazing – which is ideal at preventing heat escaping through windows and has the added benefit of helping to reduce noise pollution as well. Couple this with thick curtains and you can prevent heat escaping. 

You can also look into wall and loft insulation to help keep heat in, there are a variety of government grants available for these updates. 

2. Turn Items Off Standby 

We can all be guilty of this, after all it is convenient to be able to use a remote or at the touch of a button but leaving items on standby uses up energy. It may not seem like a big energy user but turning off your appliances at the plug could save you about £30 a year. 

3. Buy Efficient

If any of your appliances need replacing, aim to buy one with a high-energy efficiency rating of A+++, this will reduce the energy needed to run it and save you money in the long run. 

4. Wash Clothes At a Lower Temperature 

Many washing tabs, powder and liquid is now designed to work well at a cooler temperature. Rather than washing at 40 degrees Celsius, try washing at 30 degrees instead – you should see the same results! 

5. Turn Down The Thermostat 

You shouldn’t be sitting in the cold, but hold off turning your thermostat to the max, turning your heating down by one degree can save as much as £80 a year – that’s a huge saving. Rather than reaching for the dial automatically, be sure to layer up! 

6. Invest In a Smart Thermostat

A smart thermostat can be a really good investment, allowing you more control over your heating. You can programme it to be ready at the right temperature when you return home, or you can switch it on when you’re on your way home, so you can come back to a warm home without wasting any energy. You can also keep an eye on the amount of energy you’re using and aim to reduce it. 

7. Change Your Lightbulbs

The type of lightbulbs you use can impact the amount of energy you use, for example LED lightbulbs can last up to 25 years and only cost £1.71 a year to run – compare this to a Halogen bulb which has a two year lifespan and an annual running cost of £8.42. 

8. Compare Energy Providers

It is important to keep comparing and switching energy providers to get the best price and avoid paying hundreds more than you should. Fixed tariffs usually last a year, so switch once a year to coincide with your contract ending to get the best deal and avoid any penalties. 

9. Avoid Draughts

Avoiding losing heat by blocking draughts through those pesky gaps around doors and windows. Invest in draught-proofing strips around doors and windows, draught excluders around the home and your front door and letterbox, block unused fireplaces with an inflatable pillow or cap and draught-proofing foam strips around loft hatches. 

10. Buy A New Boiler 

If you need to replace or upgrade your boiler, be sure to opt for an A-rated one, obviously a new boiler is a huge expense but opting for a highly efficient one when the time comes will save you hundreds a year, more than paying for itself. 

If you need any help or assistance installing electrics, changing to energy efficient options or have any questions, we can provide a professional electrician in Finsbury Park for domestic and commercial services.