The Government is today launching a nationwide advertising blitz to help people save cash this winter as energy prices spiral.
The £18million campaign, called ‘It All Adds Up’, includes turning down your boiler flow temperature and buying draft excluders and window film.
As well as the short-term measures below, the campaign will also highlight longer-term upgrades like loft and wall insulation or fitting double glazing.
Business Secretary Grant Shapps said: “It’s in everyone’s interest to use every trick in the book to use less energy while keeping homes warm and staying safe. For very little or no cost, you can save pounds."
But Lib Dem energy spokeswoman Wera Hobhouse said the government has "failed to insulate millions of homes", adding: "Advice and tips are all very well, but we also need urgent investment to insulate people's homes and cut energy bills in the long term.
"That is the only way we will tackle the climate emergency, cut emissions and cut people's bills."
A scheme called ‘ECO+’ that will run from April 2023 to March 2026 and hand out loft and cavity wall insulation - but the £1bn plan is thought to be worth a third of the £3bn called for by industry chiefs. And Labour, who pledged to insulate 2million homes a year, blasted it for helping a “tiny fraction” of those in the cost of living crisis.
Liz Truss originally blocked the idea of a public information campaign as she opposed the idea of a "nanny state" Government.
But her successor Rishi Sunak has caved to calls for more help - especially because under the Energy Prices Guarantee, every extra pound spent on heating costs the government money too.
Here is some of the main advice you'll see on posters and in TV or radio commercials from today.
£100: Reduce the temperature a boiler heats water
The Government will advise that you reduce the temperature a boiler heats water before sending it to radiators from 75C to 60C.
This is done by moving a dial on the boiler itself. Instructions are on the government website. Some boilers show the flow temperature; on others you only have the dial so have to estimate.
It means it can take a bit longer for rooms to reach their optimum temperature, but less heat is lost in the system making things more efficient.
The Government estimates it could save a household around £100 a year.
£70: Turn off electrical devices at the plug
It is estimated that you could save £70 a year by turning off electrical devices at the plug, rather than keeping them on standby.
Experts advise you switch off appliances - including TVs, chargers and speakers - at the plug socket so the electrical current is unable to flow through.
£60: Draft excluders and window film
The campaign urges people to reduce heating loss from a property by plugging up gaps.
This can mean putting draught excluders around doors, or adding clear film across windows to plug leaks between glass and frame.
It's claimed this can save a household £60 a year, though like anything it varies hugely by the age and type of your home.
£70: Turn off radiators in empty rooms
Turning off radiators in empty rooms is estimated to save £70 a year.
You should close the doors so the cold air doesn’t seep into the rest of the house.
By turning them off, you’ll prevent the water in the system from running through that particular radiator.
“Your boiler uses up the same amount of energy however many radiators it has to heat, but by turning some of them off, your boiler will work more efficiently, meaning the rest of the house will warm up sooner so the boiler switches off sooner, and you’ll save money because you’re using less gas,” according to The Radiator Centre.
Other 'low cost' tips on the government list
- £70: 'Using your tumble dryer less'
- £55: 'Switching to energy saving lightbulbs'
- £40: 'Washing clothes at a lower temperature'
- £10: 'Closing all your curtains and blinds at night'
- Unknown: 'Track your energy usage' and 'install a smart meter'
Larger home improvements suggested by the government
- £70: 'Insulating your hot water cylinder'
- £60: 'Installing smart thermostats and heating controls'
- 'Installing loft insulation'
- 'Upgrading to more energy efficient appliances'
- 'Upgrading to double glazing could cut your heating bill by almost 20%'
- 'Replace your boiler with a heat pump with the help of a government grant'
- 'Reduce your energy bills by installing underfloor insulation'
