The rise in energy prices has caused significant concern for householders. The extent of this rise in costs and the additional burden has been recognised by the UK Government. Gas, electricity and water all combine to claim a healthy chunk of our monthly income, which is likely to increase over the coming months.
You can make many choices to reduce your household bills, from avoiding the dreaded red light of standby to turning your thermostat down one degree. However, many of the most effective strategies begin and end with proper servicing, maintenance and upgrade of your technology. Here we explore the return on your investment in the effective management of the utilities in your home.
Schedule regular services
Bringing in a technician before your products go wrong can save you a lot of money. Being proactive rather than reactive allows you to cut the cost of potential or future problems. For instance, an annual service of your boiler can extend its life by years. The average life of a boiler is between 12 and 15 years. Therefore, even if you extend this by a year or two, it is significant payback.
More importantly, servicing your boiler each year increases its efficiency and reduces your energy bills. It is worth noting, it is the law for landlords to have an annual service on a boiler as it guarantees the safety of those in the home.
You should also consider checking and servicing your electrical supply into your home. Not only is this a safety issue, but the technician can identify problems before they start to cost you more money.
Early intervention maintenance
Another way to reduce your energy bills is to intervene early if you spot something not working properly or where there is a niggling problem. A dripping tap or gently leaking pipe signals an inefficiency in the system, costing you money. Getting a plumber early on in these situations can prevent an emergency call out later.
Small jobs such as bleeding your radiators can reduce the amount of work your boiler has to do to heat your home. Equally, putting a reflective panel behind your radiators can increase their potency and lagging your pipes can stop heat loss.
Many smaller jobs will make a difference. While each small maintenance job may save a few pennies here and there, together, they can reduce your costs.
Upgrade to efficient technology
The final suggestion for reducing your household bills is more of a commitment. However, old boilers, washing machines, dishwashers, thermostats, ovens, etc., all work to old standards.
Making the decision to move over to a smart thermostat, for instance, can make a significant difference to your bills. Even though the initial investment might be high, you will have the ability to control the temperature around your home in a much more efficient manner.
Equally, investing in some self-cleaning ovens might increase the efficiency of your Sunday roast from 6% to 14%, as it comes with greater insulation.
We can help
Many small changes to your home can make a noticeable difference to your household bills. A small investment now could continue to save you money into the future. Paine Manwaring can be your partner in these savings; contact us today to ask us how we can help.