We all know and expect that as winter approaches, our electricity bills start creeping upwards because of all the extra things we need such as heat, and because it gets darker earlier, we all have our lights on longer. However, sometimes it can get to the point where you are paying such a high amount that it becomes unaffordable. So, in this article, let’s look at how to save electricity this winter.

Doors & Weather Stripping

The first thing that you should consider is keeping all of your doors closed. This might sound obvious, but if you leave the doors open, all the warm air in the room will leave and be spread around the house. This will make everything colder, and you will feel the need to turn the heating on.

If you have gaps under your door, you need to find a way to fill them while you are in a room. So, what you can do is put a blanket on your side of the door to keep the warm air in. If you are going to leave a room and you want to keep it warm, consider putting this on the outside so that when you go back in, the room will still be the way you left it.

When it comes to your front and back doors, it is worth running your hand around the edges to feel if any cold air is coming in from outside of your property. If so, then you may want to consider fitting weather stripping. See our guide on how to install weather stripping for more information.

Thermal Curtains

It is going to be important that you have good quality thick curtains throughout the winter months. Even if you have double or triple glazing, it is not going to do you any harm to make sure that you have thermal curtains.

These will keep the heat in the room and stop any cold coming in through the windows. If you already have thin curtains, then you will immediately notice a difference by upgrading to thermal curtains.

The result of upgrading means that you won’t have to have your heating on as often, or as high, helping to keep your electric costs down.

Energy-Saving Light Bulbs

The most obvious thing that you can do to save on your energy bills this winter is to buy energy-saving light bulbs. You can get these at most home and hardware stores, so they are not hard to find.

Some energy-saving light bulbs can be more expensive than a standard bulb. However, if you switch the majority of your light bulbs, you will notice a rather significant difference on your next electricity bill which will make the initial extra spend worth it.

They don’t provide any less light than the standard bulbs, but they do use less energy to power them. They are also well known for having a much longer life than standard bulbs, so you will see the savings year on year.

Candles

Candles have long been used to provide light before there was electricity. Other than the cost of buying the candles, which is not a lot, and getting a lighter or some matches, it doesn’t cost anything to use candles instead of your main lights.

Using candles is not just a great way to save energy this winter, but it is also very calming and makes your home feel cosy. If you buy scented candles, then your whole house will have a delightful smell when they are lit too.

Further Advice

We hope that you have found this advice useful and will consider using some of these energy saving ideas this winter. You may also find these article of interest, which gives other hints and tips on how to reduce your energy bills:

https://cosyhomeswindows.com/save-money-replacement-double-glazed-units
https://cosyhomeswindows.com/how-does-double-glazing-reduce-heat-loss
https://cosyhomeswindows.com/how-to-save-energy-at-home
https://cosyhomeswindows.com/heat-your-home-for-free-this-winter

Energy efficiency is something that we hear plenty about, particularly working in the window industry. However, whilst we understand what this means and the importance of energy efficiency in our homes. Not everyone else does.

With this in mind, we have put together a guide on what is energy efficiency and why it is something that you should be thinking more about in your home.

What Is Energy Efficiency?

Energy efficiency is a term that covers any type of energy saving measures that you can take in your home and in your everyday life. Some people decide to tackle their own energy efficiency by turning down their thermostat in their home, using ways to keep in the warm air, and also looking at walking or cycling to work rather than driving.

Energy efficiency can have an associated cost upfront, but it in the long term the savings that you can make really make sure that you should see it as an investment.

Why Should You Think More About It?

1. There are a variety of reasons that you should be considering taking a more energy efficient approach to your life. The most obvious reason, and one that we have already mentioned are because it saves you money. You may be surprised by just how much money energy efficient measures can save you.
2. Not only the above, but energy efficiency can also have a huge impact on the world around you. We all have a part to play in making sure that we protect the environment and look after the world that we live in. Being more energy efficient is one of the first things that we should think about.
3. Finally, there is something to be said about how energy efficiency makes you feel. Knowing that you are doing something to help the world around you, as well as saving yourself some cash too, is going to be a great feeling.

Contact The Experts

Here at Cosyhomes Windows we are dedicated to helping our customers to have energy efficient homes that will really work for them. This is why we offer our amazing double or triple glazing, which helps to keep the warm air in your home and in turn your home warm too.

So, why not give energy efficiency a go? You might be surprised by just how much money it can save you in the long run, as well as how awesome it can make you feel.

Money, and how to save it, is one thing that all of us think about. Whether it is getting a great deal on insurance, finding that bargain in a shop or perhaps looking at ways you can reduce your outgoings from your home.

Saving energy and the costs related to it has definitely cropped up on many people’s radars of late. The benefits to looking at your energy usage at home is two-fold. Not only do you feel great about doing your bit to help the environment but you also get to keep some of the cash too!

We have put together this helpful guide on how to save energy at home; some of the tips are so easy to put in place that you could be saving money in no time at all!

Lights & Water

The lights around your home can be a drain on electric, so make sure they are only on when you need them to be. You can also replace your halogen light bulbs with LED ones that use less energy but are still bright, meaning that they are the perfect alternative to older style lightbulbs.

Water is another popular form of energy that is wasted in the home. In the kitchen you should try to wash up in a bowl rather than filling up the whole sink. You should also only ever fill the kettle with the water you need rather than filling to the maximum.

Showers can also use more water than they need to. Especially if they take water directly from the boiler or hot water tank. By investing in a water efficient showerhead you can save not only on your water usage but also the gas bill that heats up the water.

Energy-Efficient Doors & Draught Proofing

Like any other part of the home, doors can be insulated and draught-proofed to prevent heat from escaping. According to the Energy Saving Trust, just draught-proofing your doors alone can save about £25 a year on heating bills. When it comes to new front doors, they now generally contain integrated insulation to help reduce heat loss. But, if you have an older front door, it could be worth fitting draught-proofing strips around the seals and letterbox.

Have Better Control Over Your Heating

You may not realise it but half of the money spent on energy bills is for the hot water and heating in the home. The thermostat is the main way that you can control how much energy you use and by turning it down, even by just a fraction, you will see an improvement in your usage and costs.

Always make sure that the heating is only on when you need it to be; either by setting the timer or by purchasing smart heating controls which you can use to turn on (or off) your heating when you are not even there.

Energy-Efficient Double Glazing

Double glazed windows have two sheets of glass with a gap in between, usually about 16mm, to create an insulating barrier that keeps heat in, which is sometimes filled with gas. However, it is important to remember that every window has a different rating when it comes to how energy-efficient it is.

Energy-efficient windows come in a range of frame materials and styles. Performance criteria vary according to the following:

• How quickly heat escapes through the window.
• How much sunlight travels through the glass.
• How much air can escape or come in around the window frame.

Fitting draught proofing to the doors and windows will save the typical household between £25 and £35 a year. To find out more about the energy ratings of windows, visit: BFRC Energy Rating.

Contact Us For Assistance

Here at Cosyhomes Windows, we can advise you on all forms of energy saving in the home, especially when it comes to choosing windows and doors, as well as draught proofing. Our professional installation team will not just tell you how to save energy at home, but can help you choose the right product to reduce your carbon footprint and fit them to the highest of standards.

Hopefully this guide has helped you with some of the basics when trying to reduce the energy usage in your home. For more information, call our team today on 020 8397 4040.

Here at Cosyhomes Windows we know how important quality windows can be when keeping your home toasty and warm. However, do you know that there are other ways that you can heat your home for free to avoid spending the Earth on heating bills?

Heat your home for free

During 2013 the government looked at the UK’s energy consumption and tasked energy firms to not only reduce the rate but also help those who are at risk of fuel poverty. This scheme was entitled the ECO (energy company obligation) and has had a great impact since introduction.

In fact, it is thought that 1.5m measures have been installed in homes around the UK in order to reduce the energy used. However, there are still those people who are on low-incomes or live in older properties who may not realise that they are entitled to this support.

So if you receive benefits such as child tax and pension credit then there may be a scheme that can help you as the colder winter weather creeps in.

Not sure of where this support is? One of the first places to visit is the Energy Saving’s Trust who provide you with impartial information on how you can access the support that you need.

Before you visit them however, we have put together a quick guide to some of the hot tips when it comes to wanting to heat your home for free.

Cavity wall and loft insulation

Most homes in the UK will have had insulation put in their walls and loft spaces at some point. However what many home owners do not know is that older style insulation and ones that fall beneath the 27cm recommended level could mean that you are eligible for a free upgrade.

Insulation is known to reduce energy bills and is incredibly easy to source and have installed in your property and with this offered to those on low incomes and benefits it seems sensible to see if you are eligible for the insulation.

Boilers

An efficiently running boiler is one way to keep down the costs of heating your home. For those who are on low incomes, there is a means-tested scheme whereby you can be given a new boiler at no cost if your current model proves to be inefficient.

A new boiler can cost around £2,300 to replace therefore you can see that this particular scheme can really save you money. You even receive the fitting as part of the boiler, although any additional repairs that need to be made to your heating system may incur an additional cost.

What about those who are not on benefits?

Whilst the majority of schemes are aimed at those who are on a low income, British Gas currently is offering installation of free loft and cavity wall insulation for everyone, regardless of income and whether you are a customer or not. The qualification of this particular scheme is that your current insulation is deemed as very poor and those houses that have insulation more than 5cm thick, covering a third or more of the loft will not be eligible.

If you are concerned about the cost of your energy use in the home then make sure you speak to an expert about the things that you can do to ensure that you keep those costs down as well as your home warm! Cosyhomes Windows are experts in home improvement and specialise in services such as Surrey Doors and Conservatories Surrey.