Yes, there are plenty of things you can do in order to use less energy over the long term. Installing a smart meter is one such idea.
Installing a Smart Meter:
The information which is captured by a smart meter lets you spot times when you might not think you should be using much energy at all, for example during the night, or when you’re at work. In a nutshell, your smart meter gives you the information to enable you to better understand your energy usage, and make long-term changes to your behavior to reduce consumption on a sustainable basis.
Going on holiday:
If you go away on holiday and leave your house empty, your energy bill should be very low for that period. In the winter it’s advisable to set the central heating to come on for an hour or two each day to stop the pipes freezing but apart from that you’ll need to use very little energy. Some appliances such as the fridge and freezer will obviously need to remain on but you can turn everything else off at the plug socket.
If you do this, the accurate energy bill that’s produced as a result of the information captured by your smart meter will show how little energy an empty property actually uses.
Insulating your house:
Clearly the warmer your house is, the less you’ll need the heating on. Do a quick check of your property and see how you can stop heat escaping. Simple measures such as draft excluders by doors can make a big difference.
Other forms of insulation will require some initial capital outlay but pay for themselves fairly quickly. For example, around 33% of the heat lost in your home is through the walls, so insulating them can be the most cost-effective way to save energy. Cavity wall insulation can cut your bills by about £120 a year.
Alternatively insulating your loft could reduce your heating bill by up to 25%. The cost for insulating the loft of an average family home starts from around £200 which could be subsidised by an Energy Saving Grant, and recouped in less than two years.
Double glazing will also help reduce heat loss through your windows and save you about £40 a year in heating costs.
Company Profile:
First Utility is an energy supplier with a difference. We want to help you understand your energy usage, reduce your carbon footprint and ensure you receive accurate bills.
For more information about how to start saving energy please visit www.first-utility.com.
