![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/RR-COMP-HEATING-EXPERT-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\nA HANDY \u00a37 tool could save you hundreds of pounds on your energy bills this winter.<\/p>\n
It comes as bills and prices are still heavy on people's minds so tips and tricks can come in handy when they weather gets colder. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
With\u00a0energy bills\u00a0set to\u00a0rise by \u00a394\u00a0for the average household from the new year, we're all looking for ways to save.<\/p>\n
Research from LoftZone has found that 8 in 10 people are worried about heating their homes this winter.<\/p>\n
Plus, according to the government, eight million of the UK\u2019s 25million lofts don\u2019t have enough insulation – which is a key way to keep heat within your homes.<\/p>\n
We spoke to home insulation and heating expert and LoftZone chief executive Dave Raval for his tips on how to keep energy bills low and house temperatures high this winter.<\/p>\n
Dave said: "There are lots of things everybody could do in their own homes that are quite easy and inexpensive to help save on your heating bills. <\/p>\n "The best energy saving is the energy you don\u2019t use, so looking at where heat may be escaping is key! <\/p>\n "You want to avoid paying to heat the air in your house and letting it go straight out.\u201d<\/p>\n "On a cold evening, go around with your hand across every window and across every door and feel for draughts," Dave said.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n That's because older houses typically lose more heat through gaps in doors, floorboards, and windows, so it\u2019s vital to plug them.\u00a0<\/p>\n Just 13% of Brits have draught excluders to help keep their home warm.<\/p>\n He added: "These are a cost-effective solution. You can buy products online and solutions from DIY stores."<\/p>\n Draught excluders don't cost a lot, but can have a big impact – we found one at Dunelm for just \u00a37.<\/p>\n It is worth checking windows and doors are sealed properly. <\/p>\n Buy some cheap adhesive foam strips to block cold air, and tape around parts of your window can also help, Dave said.<\/p>\n You can pick up these foam strips on Amazon for just \u00a312.99 for 50mm.<\/p>\n Stick them around your windows to stop warm air escaping.<\/p>\n "Perhaps consider thicker curtains \u2013 door curtains used to be a popular thing which has gone out of fashion, but these are great for keeping in the heat too," he said.<\/p>\n You'd need to drill in a curtain rail above your door and hang the curtain as you would for windows, they add an added barrier between the cold outside and your home.<\/p>\n We found some for as little as \u00a315 on the Dunelm website. <\/p>\n Research carried out by Essential Site Skills found that curtains alone have the potential to decrease your energy consumption by up to 15%.<\/p>\n That could lead to savings of up to \u00a330 annually on your utility\u00a0bills.<\/p>\n Having a loft without insulation can mean that around 25% of your home's heat is lost through the roof, according to Dave.<\/p>\n He says that in the current cost of living crisis, investing in efficient loft insulation is an "easy change" for homeowners to make.<\/p>\n Dave added: "It will make an enormous difference to energy bills. <\/p>\n "When installed correctly, the insulation should be able to pay for itself over and over again within its 40-plus year lifespan, creating an extra-strong storage solution whilst maintaining your energy bills."<\/p>\n We found that you can expect to pay anything from \u00a3400 for traditional quilt insulation to \u00a390 per square meter for certain types of spray foam insulation.<\/p>\n So this is a hefty upfront cost but the Energy Saving Trust estimates that loft insulation can save you about \u00a3150 per year, as well as adding 16% to the value of the house.<\/p>\n However, it doesn\u2019t stop at simply adding insulation to your loft.<\/p>\n Most people don\u2019t know that squashing insulation makes it 50% less efficient.<\/p>\n We love to use our lofts for storage or to wander around them for access.<\/p>\n However, Dave warned you to not put your boxes straight on the insulation or board down directly onto the joists.<\/p>\n Doing this will double the heat loss which has a big impact on your bills.<\/p>\n Another tip from Dave is to buy a radiator fan.<\/p>\n That's because as heat rises, your ceiling gets warm first, then only afterwards does the lower part of the room start to warm up.<\/p>\n To tackle this, he says you could consider\u00a0a radiator fan that pops on top of radiator.<\/p>\n It simply blows the heat on to you, rather than let it drift upwards, so you feel warmer, sooner.<\/p>\n Prices do vary from store to store, we found several radiator fan options for around \u00a330.<\/p>\n Figures from radiator fan provider,\u00a0Radfan, suggest households could save up to \u00a3300 a year\u00a0on their bills by installing these devices.<\/p>\n Saving hot water may sound pretty simple, but it's something many of us forget about.<\/p>\n Dave said: "There are obvious things to save water, such as taking quicker showers and having fewer baths, but often people forget the water used whilst washing up. <\/p>\n "Use a bowl, or plug the sink, to avoid washing every item under the hot water tap, that is just heated water you\u2019ve paid for that is going down the plughole!"<\/p>\n You can also rinse cleaned crockery etc with cold water, too.<\/p>\n If you have radiators, Dave says to make sure each one has a TRV \u2013 a thermostatic radiator valve. <\/p>\n Most homes have one single thermostat controlling your temperature, but many rooms need less heat. <\/p>\n Dave said: "Ask yourself – does your bedroom need to be hot at midday? <\/p>\n "Does your hall need to be as warm as your lounge?"<\/p>\n TRVs can be fitted without needing to do any plumbing.<\/p>\n They just screw on and allow you to turn down or up individual radiators \u2013 easy.<\/p>\n You can pick them up for as little as \u00a313.99 on Amazon.<\/p>\n The average household can\u00a0save up to \u00a375 every year\u00a0if they have thermostatic radiator valves fitted on all their radiators, according to\u00a0British Gas.<\/p>\n During sunnier days, switching off outdoor lighting and using solar lamps or lights will help cut energy bills.<\/p>\n Close your\u00a0curtains\u00a0in the evening\u00a0as temperatures drop to help insulate your home and stop heat from escaping.<\/p>\n This means you are less likely to need to turn the heating on.<\/p>\n Make sure you open the blinds in the morning, especially on sunny days, as the glass will act like a greenhouse to help warm your property.<\/p>\n Ovens remain hot immediately after you have turned them off.<\/p>\n This means you can actually turn them off up to 10 minutes before your food is due out to let the residual heat finish the job for you.<\/p>\n However, don\u2019t take risks with food, and make sure it is piping hot and properly cooked all the way through before eating.<\/p>\n Once you have turned the oven on and put your food in, try not to open the door.<\/p>\n This reduces the temperature and prompts the appliance to use extra energy to bring the temperature back up, and also adds time on to cooking your meal costing you more.<\/p>\n Stopping heat escaping through draughts can save \u00a330 a year on your energy bill, according to Energy Saving Trust.<\/p>\n Draught excluders for under \u00a35 are readily available on\u00a0Amazon\u00a0\u2013 especially the ones you attach to doors.<\/p>\n Or you can also get them to match your d\u00e9cor or style, we found a cute sausage dog excluder for \u00a34 from Hobbycraft.<\/p>\n Putting hot food in the fridge can disrupt the temperature forcing the appliance to burn extra energy to cool the space back down.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a similar story if you stand at the fridge with the door open wondering what to eat for longer\u00a0periods\u00a0of time.<\/p>\n Loft\u00a0insulation\u00a0is an investment well worth making to prevent losing heat through your roof.<\/p>\n It is one of the more pricey changes to make but could save you around \u00a3300 a year, according to consumer campaign group Which?.<\/p>\n Ideally, you need rolls of insulation that is 270mm thick, according to the EnergyHelpline.<\/p>\n You are looking at paying around \u00a330 for 200mm rolls of five metres – and don\u2019t forget to insulate your loft hatch too.<\/p>\n The cost of running the kettle over a year mounts up making it one of the most expensive appliances.<\/p>\n Filling the kettle with more water than you need wastes energy and\u00a0money.<\/p>\n Try using cups of water to fill the kettle so that you only boil what you need.\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s estimated a sizeable chunk of electricity used in homes is from\u00a0appliances that are sitting in\u00a0standby mode.\u00a0<\/p>\n This equates to as much as \u00a380 on a bill of \u00a3500.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/GM_28-11_CONSUMER_CLEAN-ENERGY-SAVE_COMP-1.jpg\")
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Invest in quality loft insulation\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Consider a radiator fa<\/strong>n<\/h2>\n
Save hot water<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Thermostatic radiator valves can make a big difference<\/strong><\/h2>\n
More ways to save on your energy bills<\/h2>\n
Switch to solar lights outside<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Close curtains at night\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Use residual oven heat to cook<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Don\u2019t open the oven when in use<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Block draughts\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Let food cool down\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Insulate your loft\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Boil the kettle with the water you need\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Turn off devices<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Read more on The Sun<\/h2>\n
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