With the cost of living crisis affecting many households around the country, it’s understandable that many people in Devon will be concerned over the cost of heating their homes.
Whilst the Government decides how they are going to tackle the cost of living crisis centrally, there are many actions we can take to reduce the cost of heating our homes. This article looks at advice, tips and resources available to households in Devon, to help improve the energy efficiency of properties and bring down heating bills.
1. Draught Proofing
According to Which?, draft proofing doors and windows in your home is a simple and cost-effective way to begin saving money on your energy bills. They estimate an annual saving of between £20 and £50 a year in energy bills, making your home more comfortable and energy efficient. They also suggest that households will be able to turn down their thermostat as a result of draft proofing measures, potentially increasing savings to between £85 and £90 per year. Did you know that if every household in Devon turned their thermostat down by 1°C, we would save 75,000 tonnes of CO2 every year?
Draught proofing starts with assessing your home. Check your:
- windows
- doors, keyholes and letterboxes
- chimneys and fireplaces
- floorboards and skirting boards
- loft hatches
- pipework
- cracks in walls
- gaps around electricity fittings on walls and ceilings.
This Which? article contains plenty of advice about how to draft-proof various types of windows, loft hatches and pipework.
2. Home Insulation
Insulating your home is a great way to begin saving energy and reducing your monthly bills. The Centre for Sustainable Energy has produced handy advice sheets for homeowners about how to insulate your loft, your walls, your roof and your floor. Each leaflet weighs up the cost of the work, the amount saved, and the payback time, and advice for doing it yourself. You can download the relevant advice sheets using the buttons below:
If you’re struggling to decide on what type of insulation would best suit your home, this helpful article from Which? compares various options for loft insulation.
3. Personalised Advice & Support
All homes are different, so getting personalised advice for your home will make it easier for you to be sure you’re doing the right things and help you understand what actions could make the biggest difference.
Just enter a few details into the energy efficiency calculator from government’s Simple Energy Advice to receive your personalised recommendations.
The Cosy Devon website currently lists the Community Energy organisations that are active in Devon. Contacting your local community energy advice service can be a great way to find out what options are available to you, as well as discuss your specific circumstances with an experienced advisor.
