Knowledge is power for lower bills

Published on Friday 9 January 2009 18:20

EACH week The Scotsman gives you a top ten guide to pertinent financial issues. Energy bills are finally set to fall in the coming months. But, by being energy efficient, you can trim your bills by hundreds of pounds a year regardless of what the energy firms choose to do. Cath Slade, head of property letting at Pagan Osborne, offers her top tips on making your home more energy efficient.

1 LET THERE BE LIGHT

The quickest and easiest step you can take is to replace your normal light bulbs with the energy-efficient version. Although they are more expensive than normal bulbs, they do last longer – saving you money in the long run. Fitting all the lights in your home with low-energy bulbs could save up to 50 a year on bills, according to the Energy Saving Trust.

2 SEAL OF APPROVAL

If you are allowed to install double glazing, this is one investment definitely worth considering. Although prices vary depending on how many windows you need fitted, on average, this can cut heat loss through the windows by half and save you more than 90 a year.

3 KEEP OUT THE COLD

If you live in a period home and have single glazing it's worth investing in simple draught excluders. Put them at the bottom of doorways as well as around the windows to keep the heat in and the cost of your bills down.

4 HOT, HOT, HOT

If you find that the cost of heating is becoming too great, why not heat only the rooms that you regularly use? But make sure you set your time programmer, boiler thermostat and thermostatic radiator valves to come on at a time that suits you and the rooms that you want.

5 BLEED YOUR RADIATORS

After deciding which rooms you want to heat, and after resetting your boiler, it's worth bleeding the radiators to get rid of any trapped air. Make sure you do this when the heating is turned off and use a rag to catch any drips that come out of the bleed valve.

If air had been trapped, you should instantly notice the temperature rise in your radiator by simply touching it.

6 WRAP UP

A cosy hot water cylinder jacket which is 80mm thick only costs 12, but will save you 20 a year in heating bills and 160kg a year in carbon emissions.

7 INSULATE

Although insulation is by far the biggest financial commitment, it will repay itself in terms of the money you save in heating bills. About half of the heat lost from a typical home is through the walls and roof. Cavity wall insulation, for example, costs 500 to install and saves 900 a year in heating bills.

8 GETTING FLOORED

If you're planning a renovation, it's beneficial to think about under-floor heating. But if you have traditional timber flooring, did you know that this too can be insulated? By laying mineral wool padding under the boards at a cost of about 90, you could save 45 a year.

9 GREEN IS GOOD

To be extra green, consider having solar panels fitted on your roof. There are some products on the market that don't just rely on sunshine in order to provide hot water and heat. In fact, as long as there is a minimum of eight hours of daylight, that'll do the trick.

10 EFFICIENCY BY LAW

As of 4 January, landlords are legally required to have an Energy Performance Certificate. The costs vary depending on the size of the property and which company you use, but if you don't have one, then you will not be able to let out your property to new tenants. Visit www.campaigns.direct.gov.uk/epc for more information.