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Save money on your fuel bills

Small changes in home energy use can help you save money on your bills. Find out how and where to get help with your bills.

By making simple changes on how you use your energy will help you save on your energy.

On this page:

Keeping warm

It is important to keep warm in winter, both inside and outdoors.

It can help to prevent colds, flu and more serious health problems, such as heart attacks, strokes, pneumonia and depression.

Energy costs

For fuel vouchers or grants towards energy costs, visit:

For more information for Calderdale residents, see: Money and Wellbeing in Calderdale.

Rising energy bills

Average energy costs are now in the region of £2,500 per property for duel fuel households (gas and electric). This is based on a 3-bedroom semi-detached home.

  • Costs could rise further to fund the carbon reduction and infrastructure investment needed to achieve the Government's energy targets.

Heat loss in UK homes via loft spaces and walls is enough to heat five million homes for each year.

To Insulate a building's fabric to reduce energy loss is a great way to save money!

  • A typical office loses around 60% of its heat through its building fabric.
  • If not insulated, an average semi-detached house can lose:
    • 25% of its heating through the roof;
    • and 35% through the walls.
  • The average UK household has around 12 gadgets on standby at any one time, which wastes £740 million each year.

So why wait to act? Become more energy efficient and start saving on your energy bills, now!

Switch off standby

Turn appliances off standby mode and you could save around £65 each year.

  • Most appliances can be turned off at the plug and not upset their programming.
  • Get a standby saver or smart plug, which can turn off all your appliances in one go.
  • Check the instructions for any product you are not sure about. (Some satellite and digital TV recorders need to be plugged to track programmes you want to record.)

To find out what uses the most, visit: Top five energy consuming home appliances.

Are you looking to buy a new appliance and want to find out how much energy each uses? Then visit: Sust-it - simply efficient shopping.

Draught-proof windows, doors and floors

Unless your home is very new, you will lose some heat through draughts around:

  • doors and windows;
  • gaps in the floor and skirting boards;
  • or through the chimney.

If you draught-proof these, either DIY or get a professional in, it could save around £125 a year.

To find out more about this, visit: Reducing home heat loss.

Turn off lights

This will save you around £25 each year.

Also, were possible, only use LED bulbs to save even more money.

Careful with your washing

You could save around £34 each year.

  • Use it on a 30oC cycle.
  • Only wash full loads.

Avoid the tumble dryer

  • Dry clothes on racks inside where you can or outside in dry weather and you could save £70 each year.

Swap your bath for a shower

  • Replace a bath with a 4-minute shower each week and you could save £20 a year.

Find out how you can help your wallet and the environment, visit: Saving water at home.

Spend less time in the shower

  • Keep showers to four minutes and a typical household could save around £95 each year.

Be savvy in the kitchen

Kettle

One of the most used appliances, but many of us will put more water in than we need.

  • Just boil what you need and you could save around £13 each year.

Hot water tap

  • Fit an aerator, a small gadget with tiny holes, to the spout.
  • It reduces the flow of water that comes out, but does not affect how it washes or rinses.
  • They are cheap and easy to install, but could save you around £30 each a year.

Fill your dishwasher

  • Only run it when full, to reduce the amount of water you use.
  • Use it one time less each week and you could save £17 each year.

Top-up the insulation

Effective insulation of your hot water cylinder is important:

  • If you have thin spray foam or a loose 25mm jacket, you can benefit from adding more.
  • Upgrade to the 80mm British Standard Jacket and you could save £70 each year.

For more about this and guidance, visit: Insulating tanks, pipes and radiators (Energy Homes Trust).

For more about schemes in Calderdale, see: Healthy Home Schemes.

Turn down the thermostat

  • Just 1oC lower could save you around £145 a year on you bill.
  • Your room thermostat should be set to the lowest comfortable temperature. For most people this is 18 - 21°C.

Important note: Do not go less than 16oC.

Reflective panels

You could save around £35 each year with these.

  • Place them behind radiators on external walls that are not insulated.
  • They will reflect heat back into the room and keep you warmer for less money.

Unused and draughty chimneys

  • Do you have an open chimney and are not using it? You could save around £90 a year, visit: How to draught-proof your chimney.
  • A cheap option to keep the cold out is to use a draught excluder. These can be picked up from around £20.

For more ways to save energy and money:

Back to Healthy Homes Service page

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