How to Save Money on Energy Bills

2. Save money on energy bills by switching to energy-efficient appliances

Potential savings: Up to £240 per year

From washing machines to refrigerators to small appliances like hair dryers or even light bulbs, you can save a lot of money by simply switching to the high efficiency options.  Every penny saved counts in the long run.  Even if you don’t care if you save money on energy bills or not, think about the environment.  Think about the world you’re leaving behind for your grandchildren or many generations ahead.

If you’re replacing an appliance, you can cut your electricity bills by choosing the most energy-efficient model.  For example, running costs for washing machines vary between £20 and £100 per year.  You can either find brochures for the appliance you’re going to buy, or do your own independent research to find out how much those appliances cost to run, and which ones will be the cheapest.  By simply switching to energy-efficient models, you can save up to £80 annually for a washing machine, £70 for a tumble dryer and £89 for a refrigerator.  Combined with other energy efficient kitchen appliances, your total energy-savings for the year could go up to £239 a year!  That’s enough money to buy a Playstation 4 or a small vacation!  What’s more, many modern appliances modulate energy usage.  Plus you have things like weather compensation for high end boilers like Viessmann Vitodens 100-W.

3. Save money on energy bills by changing your energy supplier

Potential savings: Up to £250 per year

If you’ve stuck with the same energy supplier for more than 3-4 years, chances are you could save money on energy bills by switching to another company.  Clients who switched energy suppliers are now saving an average of £230 a year on their energy bills.  That’s just an average figure.  You could save much more depending on who you choose, and what type of plan you choose.  If you’ve already switched to another energy supplier, do ensure that you’re on the cheapest tariff.  The way to save the most money on energy bills is by choosing an online tariff and managing it over the internet.  Compare the cheapest gas suppliers and the cheapest electricity suppliers and you can save even more money.  Generally that might be a cheaper way than going with the same supplier for gas and electricity.

4. Save money on energy bills by insulating your home

Potential savings: Up to £300 per year

By insulating both your loft and cavity walls, you can save money on energy bills, up to £300 per year.  Laying 270mm thick insulation in the loft of an average UK house could slash about £180 a year straight from your energy bills, because less heat will escape through the roof.  Insulating cavity walls can save up to £150 a year.  Insulation for solid walled properties is more expensive to fit, but can still save you up to £280 in the same type of house. If you already have 120mm thick insulation, you can save more money by topping it up to 270mm thickness.

5. Save money on energy bills with smart usage of thermostats

Potential savings: Up to £100 per year

Using modern smart controls like NEST, Hive or Honeywell Evohome, and either actively monitoring them and reducing temperatures of the room you’re not in, even by just 1º C can save you up to £85 a year on energy bills in an average UK home, as per the Energy Saving Trust.  You can program the thermostat to turn the heating off when you leave from work, and put it back on as you’re coming back.  When you’re at home, putting on a sweater instead of turning on the heating not only saves you money, but is kinder to the planet.  If you’re already using smart controls and have turned down your thermostat, you can save money on energy bills by turning down the radiators in rarely used or empty rooms.  It helps if you have TRVs (Thermostatic Radiator Valves) installed on each radiator.  That way you can turn radiators down to zero for rooms you rarely visit.

6. Look for FREE Boiler Grants

The ECO (Energy Company Obligation) Scheme from the UK Government can help make your home more energy efficient.  You can save money on energy bills by getting a modern A-rated high efficiency condensing boiler through this grant.  If you’re on benefits and the solutions we’ve listed above seem expensive to implement, then you should apply for this grant.  Under the ECO Scheme, if you have a boiler that is more than 8 years old, and if you’re on qualifying benefits, you are eligible to get a brand new condensing boiler either 100% free, or part-funded depending on how energy efficient your property is.  There is limited funding for Gas, but extended funding for Oil and LPG.  More information on the FREE boiler grants on the official website below:

OFGEM.Gov.UK – About the ECO Scheme

Please note that the government and energy companies are very strict about the procedure and requirements, so do not provide false information, as it will be double checked.  Below is a list of qualifying benefits:

• Pension Guarantee Credit.
• Child Tax Credits/Working Tax Credits.
• Income Related ESA.
• Income Based JSA.
• Pension Guarantee Credits?
• Income Support?
• Universal Credits?

What’s more, if you’re off the gas grid and your old boiler is/was running on Oil or LPG, your property’s carbon score may even get you the replacement boiler 100% free.  Boilerhut are a PAS 2030 Accredited and Compliant business, which means we can get the Free Boiler Grant sorted for you.  What’s more, other companies don’t have to give you more than 3 years warranty on the boilers which are installed under this grant.  But because we are Viessmann Trained Installers, we can give you extended warranties: i.e. 7 year parts and labour + 10 years on the heat exchanger.

To check if you qualify or to apply online, please click the link or the image below:

Apply Online for a FREE Oil Boiler Grant