With today’s not unexpected news that household energy bills are to be capped by regulators at £3,549, millions of households may find themselves in ‘energy poverty’ – defined as when over 10 percent of household income is spent on energy. There are more shocks to come when the cap is reassessed in October, experts have warned – so what can you do to save energy and money? Here are our top ten energy saving tips.
1.SWITCH OFF LIGHTS
Do you leave lights on all around the house at all times of day? Get used to switching lights off when you don’t need them. And make sure that all your old fluorescent bulbs are replaced with modern energy-saving bulbs. Halogen bulbs, often found in kitchen lighting, are particularly inefficient and should be replaced with LEDs.
2.INSTALL A SMART METER
Your energy provider should be able to provide you with a smart meter for electricity and gas. A smart electricity meter gives you an instant readout of your power use and is a useful reminder if you have left something electrical running. Most of the time, you shouldn’t need much running around the house except your fridge! Smart meters report your energy usage directly back to your provider, so you shouldn’t be overcharged.
3.TURN DOWN YOUR THERMOSTAT
According to theecoexperts.co.uk, turning down your heating thermostat by one degree can save you around £80 a year.
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