Energy saving tips: save over £500 on your energy bills

Use energy-efficient light bulbs

Lighting makes up around 5% of an average home’s total energy bill, so switching to energy-efficient lighting will help you save money and reduce your carbon emissions - without compromising the quality of lighting.

But how do you know which light bulbs will work best for you?

Check out the Energy Saving Trust's lighting advice.

Switch off the lights

Simply switching off your lights when you leave a room could save you around £8 a year on energy bills.

Keep your oven door closed

We all know it’s hard to resist taking a peek at what's cooking in the oven, but opening the oven door uses more energy by letting the heat out - stick to using the window to check your food instead.

Avoid overfilling the kettle

We know, we know, this one doesn't seem that important, but trust us - only boiling what you need can save you up to £10 a year!

Timing is key

To save energy, it’s worthwhile thinking about when you use electricity, for example, putting a load of washing on.

Between midnight and 4pm, more of the UK's power comes from clean, green renewable sources. AND if you’re on a day/night tariff, you can use the cheaper night-time rate for overnight washes or EV charging.

Fill your dishwasher

Reducing your dishwasher use by just one run per week for a year could save you £12. Try to run your dishwasher when it is full to reduce the amount of water you use.

Also, if you’re looking to buy a new dishwasher, its worth checking the energy rating before you do!

Replace your boiler with a heat pump

Heat pumps use a small amount of electricity to take natural, low-level heat from the air outside and condense it to generate significantly more heat in your home. They can turn 1kWh of electricity into up to 4kWh of heat - that's 4x more than even the most efficient gas, electric, or oil boilers!

Be one of the first to try Octopus's heat pumps.

Check your appliances energy ratings

When buying an appliance, it’s essential to consider its energy rating.

For example, choosing an A-rated fridge freezer over a E-rated unit can save £380 over its 17-year lifetime.

Get a water meter

Water meters are the fairest way to pay, as your bill is based on how much water you use. If you’d like a water meter and you're the bill payer, you can apply with your water supplier. You can also apply if you rent your home and have a tenancy of six months or more.

Swap out one bath a week for a shower

You could save £10 a year on your energy bills by swapping out one bath a week with a 4-minute shower. You could also save 4000 litres of water!

Don’t leave your tap dripping - and don't leave water running

A dripping tap (or an overactive toilet) can waste over 5,000 litres of water a year, while leaving your taps running whilst brushing your teeth or shaving wastes 6 litres of water every minute!

Take a look at The Energy Saving Trust's top tips for saving money in the bathroom.

Get draught proofing

If cold draughts are ignored, your heating has to work harder to keep you warm, increasing your energy bills and your carbon footprint... and no one wants that.

Professional draught-proofing can save you around £85 a year on your energy bills, but this service can cost around £250.

Alternatively, you can follow our budget-friendly DIY draught-proofing tips for six different areas of your home:

Draught proofing doors

To block draughts at the base of your door, you can buy a cushion draught excluder or make one by stuffing tights with socks, rice, plastic bags or any spare material you have. If you'd prefer a fixed draught excluder, you can install a brush strip or hinged-flap draught excluder at the base of your door.

For draughts around door edges, use self-adhesive draught-proofing strips. Foam strips are the cheapest option but may not be long-lasting. Other options include plastic, wiper or metal draught-proofing strips.

Letter boxes and keyholes can also be draught-proofed using a metal keyhole cover and a letterbox brush/flap.

Closing curtains in front of external doors also helps to block the cold out and trap the heat in.

Draught proofing windows

Whilst the sun is shining, keep curtains/blinds open to let in the free heat.

When the sun sets, close curtains/blinds to keep the heat in and the cold out - in the winter, some people shut their curtains from 4 pm when it starts to get dark. You can get curtains with a proper thermal lining that helps block heat loss.

Draught proofing strips can also be used around windows that open. These can be cheaper foam strips that you can install yourself, or the more expensive metal or plastic stripes with brushes or wipers attached. The latter will last you longer.

It may be tricky to install these yourself if you live in a period property or if you have sash windows.

Silicone sealant can be used to seal any draughty gaps around the edges of windows, or on windows that don’t open.

Secondary-glazing window insulation film can be used to create a temporary double-glazed effect, reducing heat loss during winter.

Draught proofing loft hatches

A loft hatch insulation pillow can be purchased or made by stuffing a black bin bag with fibreglass, old cushion stuffing or any spare material. It can then be secured to the loft side of the hatch using duct tape.

Draught-proofing strips can also be used around the edges of loft hatches to seal any gaps.

Draught proofing chimneys

If your chimney is still in use, you can buy a removable fireplace draught excluder. These are easily found online and are a good option if you plan to use your fireplace. These come in a variety of styles, such as a pillow-shaped ‘chimney balloon’ or a 'chimella', which looks like an inverted umbrella.

If your chimney is no longer used, consider having it capped by a professional.

Stopping floorboards and skirting board drafts

Place a rug over exposed floorboards to reduce draughts through the gaps.

Filler can be used to seal gaps in your floor/around your skirting boards. It is best to use filler that can tolerate movement, as the boards can contract and expand. Find out more about floor insulation here.

Extractor fan drafts

Leaving an extractor fan on can chill your whole house, so remember to turn it off when you've finished using it. You can get a timed extractor fan to help ensure it's not left on unnecessarily.

Heat your body, not the whole house

Items such as an energy-efficient electric blanket or a heated throw can heat a person for just 4p an hour, and a hot water bottle even less.

Heating the person tactically alongside home heating (at a slightly lower temperature and at specific times) is a vastly more cost-effective way to stay warm, particularly for people with mobility issues, for example, who spend a lot of time in one spot.

Set timers for your heating

There are many ways of doing this - whether you have smart home controls, or a simple heating timer system.

The trick is to set your heat to come on 30 minutes before it’s needed, and shut off 30 minutes early as well – so the room can heat up and you make the most of residual heat.

Turning your heating off when it’s not needed is a quick way to save.

The trick is to set your heat to come on 30 minutes before it’s needed, and shut off 30 minutes early as well – so the room can heat up and you make the most of residual heat.

Make your radiators more energy efficient

• Move any objects obstructing your radiators, such as sofas and curtains, as radiators need space to heat your rooms.
• Clean your radiators by vacuuming away dust buildup and using a radiator duster. Dust that builds up between the fins of radiators reduces their efficiency.
• Don’t forget to bleed your radiators, as trapped air also reduces their efficiency. If your radiators have cold spots, it's a sign they need bleeding.
• Adding a shelf just above your radiator helps push the heat into the room rather than letting it rise to the ceiling.
• Use a radiator fan to distribute the warmth throughout the room quickly.
• Use radiator reflector panels behind your radiators (most effective on radiators located on external walls). These shiny sheets reflect heat back to the room so it doesn’t get absorbed by outside walls.
• If you want to spend a bit more, get smart radiator valves or TRVs (thermostatic radiator valves) so you can control your heating room by room. These can sometimes be controlled from your smart phone if you want to get really techy.