In April 2022, we all saw the increase on the price cap for energy bills increase by 54%. The price cap isn’t the limit on what you are paying in terms of pounds, but actually unit rates and standard charges.

It’s estimated that when the price cap is next reviewed, we could be seeing a further 42% raise yet according to the consultancy BFY, we are due to see the price cap rise to 73% in October this year, with energy averaging around £3,420 per year per household in the UK.

Everybody is looking for ways to reduce their energy bills as much as they can, from which appliances use less energy to how they can further insulate their homes. At Blue Door Property Guardians, we have listed some of our tips and tricks to help you make sure you’re using your energy efficiently.

Let’s start with appliances

All homes have appliances - whether these are standard appliances such as hobs, ovens and washing machines to personal appliances such as computers, mobile phones and televisions. But when you’ve finished with your appliance, do you just turn off the appliance? Or do you switch the plug off too?

Making sure we switch off the plug sockets after finishing with our appliances will prevent electricity trickling into the appliances. Even though the appliance is not running, the electricity is.

This goes for your chargers too. If you’re not charging anything yet the plug is still switched on, electricity will continue to drip through the charger. So, make sure those plug switches are off!

When the time has arrived to replace your appliances, consider purchasing efficient appliances. These will help to save on energy costs too, saving you money each year.

Washing (you and your clothes!)

Did you know that using a tumble dryer is one of the biggest contributions to your energy prices? The majority of our homes have one (definitely for ease!) yet, are they completely necessary all of the time?

Where you can, try and limit your tumble drying use and take to using the outdoors to dry your clothing. If you don’t have the space to put a washing line, invest in some clothing airers and place them outside. If the weather isn’t on your side, pop the airer in a well ventilated room preferably near an open window, to allow any condensation from the clothes to escape.

When it comes to washing your clothes, most washing machines either have an ‘eco’ setting and if not, will let you wash your clothes on a lower heat. Try and opt for a 30°C wash rather than a 40°C wash as this will help to stop as much energy being used. If you’re putting a wash on, also make sure you’re washing full loads each time.

If you weren’t aware, having a bath takes up significantly more water and energy usage than having a shower does. The majority of us love to have a bath - especially after a long day or when we’re not feeling our best, but to save on those energy bills, taking a shower is far more efficient.

To make it even better for you, try reducing your shower time to help contribute to lower energy bills… And water bills too! Add a little fun to it by setting yourself a time challenge to your showers too.

Pad out your insulation

A properly insulated home is a warm home!

Starting with the roof, make sure it’s insulated correctly. Heat rises and if the roof doesn’t have adequate insulation, then the heat will escape out into the abyss. You wouldn’t leave your front door wide open when you have the heating on, so don’t let the roof let it out either!

Single-glazed windows allow draughts to come in, as no heat is being trapped. Investing in double-glazed or even triple-glazed windows, will help to keep the heat from your home inside longer and be beneficial especially in the autumn/winter months.

Did you know you could insulate your pipes? It’s worth it too. Insulating your pipes helps to reduce the amount of heat that’s lost. Not only will your hot water be more instant when you turn on the tap, but you’re spending a lot less money heating your water up and letting it stay hotter for longer.

Thermostat is where it’s at

Have you got a thermostat fitted in your home? If not, you might want to consider it…

Smart thermostats do live up to their name - they’re very smart. Not only can you have access to them 24/7 on your phone, they can actually learn the patterns in your home, so your heating and cooling will be adjusted if someone’s in or not.

If you do have a thermostat, look into turning it down. Even reducing it by a couple of degrees will help contribute towards reducing your energy costs.

Hands up if you keep all of your radiators turned on? Take a look around your home to see which radiators you can turn off. Consider rooms such as spare rooms, kitchens and bathrooms and leave on radiators such as bedrooms, hallways and living rooms.

Don’t forget about your meter readings either. Keep on top of taking them and logging them with your supplier. It’s always good for you to have a record of your meter readings on hand in case of any sudden crazy hikes.

The last little bits and bobs

We all know to do this but we couldn’t leave it out. When you leave a room, turn the light off and if you’re in a room that doesn’t need extra light at the time, don’t turn it on! Save yourself some electricity and only use them when you really need to.

Another little tip is plug-ins. Plug-ins are common in the home, and a wonderful way to give your home a beautiful fragrance. However, as they are a constant they do contribute to your electricity bill. Try swapping plug-ins for things such as reed diffusers that typically last around 4 weeks and don’t need energy.

We all love either a good cup of tea or a coffee, but should we be filling up our kettles to the top every time we need to use it? Simply, the answer is no. All you need to do is add enough water and possibly another cup into the kettle (unless you’re brewing for everyone!), so less energy is used to heat the water inside.

There we go, some top tips on how to start reducing your energy costs. 

If you would like to ask us any questions, register your property with us or view our vacant properties, you can email us at: admin@bluedoorpropertyguardians.co.uk, call us on: 02071174232 or send us a direct message on Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram.