During winter, it’s easy for your energy bills to soar with the increased use of heating and hot water. But actually, you may not need to spend as much as you think. According to Choose Energy, 20% of home energy, which amounts to around $400 per household, is wasted each year.

It may seem a little early to contemplate your winter energy bills, but it’s better to prepare in advance before the dark mornings and cold nights arrive. There are several ways to limit your usage and cut costs without compromising on the warmth of your home. 

 Switch energy providers 

 Before you do anything else, check how much your current energy supplier is charging you and whether the price has risen. Then, compare it against competitor rates to see if you could find a cheaper deal. Although it’s convenient to stay with the same provider, you could save hundreds off your annual energy bill by switching to another company, making it entirely worth the effort. 

Draught-proof your home

When unwanted cold air flows through your home uncontrollably letting heat escape, this is a clear sign that you should draught-proof the property. Otherwise, you’ll struggle to keep your house warm without spending a fortune on bills. 

You can seal draughts by: 

• Placing draught excluders on gaps around doors and windows
• Filling in cracks in walls
• Getting thicker curtains
• Investing in double glazed windows

Update your boiler 

Getting your boiler serviced ensures it’s working efficiently. If it’s past its peak and has been installed for more than ten years, it’ll no doubt be increasing your energy bills. To avoid the boiler breaking unexpectedly during winter, replace it now and save money in the long run. All newly fitted boilers are condensing, which can achieve over 90% energy efficiency making them much more cost-effective. 

For extra convenience, the BOXT ‘find a boiler’ tool identifies the most suitable boiler for your home after asking you a few simple questions and can organize the entire installation process. 

Minimize energy usage  

It’s tempting to have long hot showers and baths when it’s cold outside, but this is an expensive habit to develop. To minimize this cost, lower the water temperature on your thermostat, take shorter showers and save baths for special occasions.  

Instead of turning the heating on as soon as it gets a bit chilly, opt for layering in blankets and jumpers to keep warm. Once heating up your radiators becomes essential, monitor your usage using a smart thermostat.

Setting a smart thermostat to automatically adjust the heating in your home when you aren’t there can reportedly save up to $100 per year. These gadgets can also notify you of wasted energy in the home and some smart thermostats offer a multi-room control function, allowing you to heat individual rooms instead of the entire house. 

Turn off lights 

With darker mornings and evenings, we’re more likely to leave lights turned on for longer through winter. But to save money, don’t forget to turn them off when you leave the room. As well as this, you could invest in energy-efficient LED lightbulbs to reduce energy costs. 

Winter is usually an expensive season due to the holidays, so it’s helpful to cut costs where you can. These energy-saving tips don’t require a lot of effort, will prevent heat loss, and save you money.