As I talk with people in community centres, one of the biggest challenges I hear is people who don’t own their home thinking that there isn’t anything they can do to feel warmer in their home or save money on their energy bills. While it is true that larger insulation measures or heat pumps would require landlord approval and a significant upfront cost, there are smaller things we can do that will save a lot of money in the long-term and help you feel warmer in the process.
ecobirmingham’s Top 10 Tips to feel warmer at home during the winter.
- LED lightbulbs. In the UK, 16% of an average UK household’s electrical use is for lighting. If you are still using the old style of lightbulbs, switching to LEDs can save you £3-£4 per bulb per year. Depending on the amount of lights in your home, that can be in the range of £40. LEDs are also generally brighter and last much longer than the old style making this a true money-saving investment.
- Kitchen sink. Use a washing up bowl or a universal plug when doing the dishes or washing fruit and veg. This can save up to 30 litres of water a day. Another option is fitting an aerator to your existing kitchen tap. This reduces the amount of water coming out without affecting how it washes. These can save around £20 from the water bill and the heating bill for the year.
- Bath or Shower? If everyone in a family of four replaces one bath a week with a 5 minute shower, this will save £10/year on water and another £10 on heating.
- Shower head. Replacing your existing shower head with a water efficient shower head, would save a 4 person household £55/year on heating and £53 on water bills for a total of £108.
- Kettles. When making a cuppa, only fill the kettle with the amount you need. This not only saves time, but it also saves around £10/year on the electric.
- Radiator reflectors. If you have a radiator on an external wall, putting a reflector behind it to force all the heat it is creating into the room you want will save lots of the heat currently leaving your home through the external walls. This will allow you to feel as warm while not needing to leave the heat on for as long or as high as it is currently, reducing your bills.
- Water heater jacket. If you have a water heater, putting an insulating jacket on it can save you up to £75/year from the heat that escapes the water heating tank, and it only costs around £25, making a very quick payback period.
- Window insulation. If you have single-glazed windows, there is a large amount of heat escaping through them. Window insulation takes your single-glazing windows to almost a double-glaze standard without sacrificing any of the view. Replacing your windows can cost hundreds, if not thousands of pounds, but window insulation can be picked up for just a few quid.
- Room temperature. Correctly using a programmable room thermostat and thermostatic radiator valves (the twisty things on the bottom of your radiators) can save up to £75/year. Most people can feel comfortable for long periods in a room heated to 18 degrees, although some people with medical conditions or people of a certain age will need this to be higher and some other people are comfortable even a few degrees lower.
- Draught excluder tape. There are often small gaps between the window and wall and in the window itself. Draught excluders temporarily seal these gaps creating a warmer environment. This is very easy to install and can make a difference immediately. Wind is colder than regular cold air, so draughts make you feel colder than it actually is. Stopping these makes a difference.
- Standby. I know I said 10 tips, but here is another. You can save up to £45/year by remembering to turn off your outlets. Do you need your kettle, telly or phone charger to be plugged in to an outlet all the time? If you switch off the outlets, it can make a difference.
Each one of these tips are things that people living in a rented accommodation can do to make themselves feel warmer and save some money. I hope these tips make a difference in your home. If you have further questions, or would like a free, personal, in-depth energy advice session, please Get in touch. I hope to speak with you soon.