10 effective ways to help make your home more energy-efficient this autumn

While 2022’s record breaking temperatures might make it feel as though the colder autumn weather is a long way off, it won’t be long before it’s with us.

If that isn’t depressing enough, when temperatures start to fall UK households could also be facing the second substantial energy price hike of 2022.

As the war in Ukraine continues to put energy security in many countries at risk, analysts predict British households could see energy prices skyrocket. That’s according to iNews, which revealed that Ofgem’s predicted energy price cap increase could push bills up to £2,980 a year.

This means taking steps to cut the amount of gas and electricity your home consumes could be a shrewd financial move. Read on to learn 10 ways you could ensure your home is as energy efficient as possible when the cold weather returns.

1. Hire a thermal imaging camera

If you really want to find out where your home is needlessly wasting energy, and subsequently, money, you might want to consider hiring a thermal imaging camera.

This reveals the places your home is losing heat, allowing you to take action to rectify the problem before the cold weather arrives.

2. Draughtproof your home

While it may sound obvious, one of the least expensive but most effective ways to reduce your energy costs at home is to draughtproof doors and windows.

Adding insulation strips could be a simple way to reduce costs.

3. Re-insulate your tanks and pipes

While it may take a bit of time, it’s likely that re-insulating hot water tanks and central heating pipes could help you reduce your energy costs, as it will ensure your insulation is as effective as possible.

4. Replace appliances with energy-efficient ones

If you need to replace your fridge, dishwasher or oven, consider the efficiency of the one you’re thinking of buying. In 2021 a new energy label was introduced, which got rid of the confusing A+, A++ and A+++ ratings, and instead reset the scale back to A to G.

This means that if you see an A-rated dishwasher, for example, it should use significantly less energy than a D-rated one.

5. Replace lights with LED lights if you haven’t already

Replacing incandescent or halogen light bulbs with more energy-efficient ones could reduce your electricity consumption.

According to SimplyLED, a single LED light bulb could cost £5.40 and cost £19 to power during its 20,000 hour lifetime. This means the total cost would be £24.40, compared with the £177.80 it would cost to buy and power incandescent bulbs over the same period.

6. Give your boiler a health check

Getting your boiler serviced could ensure that it’s running as efficiently as possible, which could save you energy costs. Furthermore, it ensures that if it’s not in the best of health, you can replace it before it stops working in the depths of winter.

The latter could also provide the opportunity to get a more up-to-date and efficient model. If you are going to get your boiler serviced, make sure you use a Gas Safe Registered engineer or a fully qualified heating engineer if it’s not gas.

7. Consider a low carbon heating system

If you’re considering upgrading your heating, you might want to consider a low carbon system that may reduce energy consumption.

For example, the Energy Saving Trust reveals that heat pumps that capture heat from outside and moves it into your home in a more energy-efficient way, could help to reduce your bills.

8. Consider boosting your loft insulation

According to Which?, the recommended thickness for loft insulation is 270mm. If you already have some loft insulation but it’s less than this recommended depth, then you could save more on your energy bills by topping it up.

The consumer watchdog suggests that loft insulation could reduce your energy bills by up to £315 a year depending on your home, and you may be able to get free loft insulation as well.

9. Add floor insulation

While it’s commonly known that heat is lost through the roof, you may not realise that it can also be lost through the ground floor.

According to Which?, up to 15% of heat can be lost through a ground floor, which is why you might want to consider insulating it.

10. Consider green energy technologies

As many renewable energy technologies use resources such as wind and sunlight, they can provide energy in a much more cost-effective way once the technology has been installed.

Furthermore, you might also be able to sell the excess energy the technology produces back to the National Grid, which could help reduce costs further.

While this could be a significant upfront cost, some technologies such as solar are inexpensive to maintain. This means that the time it takes to recover the installation costs could be less than you think.

Get in touch

We hope this blog is useful if you’re considering ways to make your home more energy-efficient and cost-effective to run.

If on the other hand you would like to discuss your financial strategy, investments, retirement fund or tax efficiency, please feel free to email us at info@harperlees.co.uk or call 01277 350560. We are always happy to help.