Tips to save energy at home

Posted on Nov 23, 2022

We’ve pulled together some FREE tips to help save energy at home and keep your home warmer this winter.

• Move furniture away from radiators – Bigger items of furniture can stop the heat reaching the rest of the room. Move your sofa an inch or two away from the radiator to improve air flow. You’ll notice the room warms up much quicker!
• Turn down your thermostat by 1 degree – Did you know turning your thermostat down by just 1 degree can cut your energy bills by 10%! You might not think such a small change in temperature would make much of a difference but for a 3-bed house this adds up to £145 saved on your heating bill every year!
• Wash your clothes at a lower temperature – Modern washing machines work well at temperatures as low as 20 degrees, so we no longer need to make a habit of washing them at 40 degrees. The lower the temperature, the more money you’ll save!
• Defrost your freezer – Freezers works 24 hours a day, so regularly defrosting them keeps the ice under control and keeps your appliance working efficiently.
• Keep the oven door closed – Making the most of the oven’s window rather than opening the door means less heat escapes. Your oven then doesn’t need to work harder to maintain your set temperature. Getting into the habit of using the oven window will save you money over time.

Check out Money Saving Expert and British Gas for lots more money saving tips.

Energy-saving home investments

Making improvements to your home can make a real difference to your energy bills. From inexpensive fixes to higher-level investments, here are some of our favorite ways to take your energy saving to the next level.

• Home insulation – Around 60% of your home’s heat loss is through the walls and roof. Investing in good quality insulation can be very beneficial in lowering your energy bills long term. Depending on the size of your home, loft, and cavity wall insulation costs around £1,000. Do you qualify for free home insulation? Take a look here.
• Double (or even triple) glazing – Upgrading your windows will improve how your home keeps in the heat during the cold weather. The lifespan of double glazing is around 20-35 years. Is it time to replace your windows?
• Replace your boiler – Modern boilers are more energy efficient than older models. An energy efficient boiler could save you up to £840 a year! The typical cost of a new boiler ranges from £1,700 – £3,500. With these types of savings, you’ll have earned your investment back in just over 2 years!
• Replace older appliances – It might be worth replacing old appliances which are ready to be retired with a new energy efficient model. ‘A’ grade are usually the most efficient and ‘G’ being the least. Check out the Energy Saving Trust for more info on energy labels for appliances and Sust-it which ranks products by energy use.
• Heat pumps – Air source heats pumps are a new, innovative way to heat your home. They use electricity to take heat from the air and use that heat in your home. The saving from investing in heat pumps will soon outweigh the larger upfront investment! You may qualify for a grant to help towards the cost of an Air Source Heat Pump. Click here to read about what government grants are available when improving your energy saving.

Cutting your energy bills is a key way to save money.

Need a hand with upgrading your home this winter?

Remember Penny Post offers a range of personal loans which could lend a helping hand with your home improvements. With bite-sized repayments straight from your pay, a Penny Post loan could be cheaper than you think and save you money on your energy bills in the long run!

Check out our Loan Calculator to see how much a Penny Post loan might cost!