TALK of temperatures hitting the 30s this month will send many of us reaching for our fans, but an easy trick can cut your energy bills.
It’s important to be aware that many of the appliances we use when the weather is warmer can be costly.
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Given budgets remain stretched to their limits, cutting back on unnecessary expenses has never been more vital.
While energy bills are set to fall by over £420 for millions of households from July 1, thanks to the new price cap, fuel costs are still taking a big chunk out of our finances.
The good news is, a simple hack costing from as little as £1 could save you money on your bills.
We spoke to former builder, Clive Holland, now a broadcaster on Fix Radio, a station for tradespeople.
He told The Sun: “Taping bubble wrap to your windows can help keep your home cool in summer.
“This can reduce your reliance on a fan or air con inside, and may even mean you can stop using such appliances altogether.”
The Works is selling five metres of 300mm bubble wrap for just £1, while Sainsbury’s charges £4 for eight metres.
On Amazon, you can get your hands on an “extra-large” roll of bubble wrap (300mm x 100m) for less than a tenner.
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Clive said: “This extra layer not only makes a difference in the winter by preventing heat loss, but you can also use it in summer to keep the heat out.”
It may look a little unsightly, but if it saves you money, this may be a small price to pay.
Crucially, though, before having bubble wrap near your curtains, always check the potential fire risk.
Also keep it away from electricals and candles.
Powering your hot-weather must-haves can be pricey, with findings from Uswitch suggesting running a 70W fan for 12 hours overnight will cost you nearly 28p at current electricity prices, dropping to just over 25p when the price cap drops at the start of July.
According to Clive, even a layer of cling film applied over the inside of a window can help keep costs down a little.
He said: “This simple measure can help reduce the need for fans or air con.”
While you can try using kitchen cling film, costing from as little as £1 at Asda, you may be better off investing in specialised window film.
On Amazon you can buy a pack for less than £8.
Clive said: “You can get dedicated cling film packs to go on various-sized windows.
“Not only can it help keep your home cold, but as an added benefit, it can also prevent condensation build-up.”
When applying this film, you need to flatten it out all around the frame.
“It may look saggy and horrible at first,” said the property supremo.
“But you then need to take a hairdryer to it, so it sinks into position.
“It can help make a difference in the summer. There is one problem though, once it’s on, you can’t open your windows.”
If you’re looking to control the amount of sunlight entering a room, tin foil can help.
As with cling film, you may already have this lying around in your kitchen.
If not, you can buy a roll of tin foil for £1.20 from Asda.
Though if you’re looking for something a little harder-wearing, head to Screwfix where you can pick up radiator reflector foil for less than £8.
Try wetting the shiny side of the foil and sticking it to your windows.
This can help block and heat and light and heat coming from the sun – and keep your home cool.
An awning or shade sail outside can be another good way to keep the sun off your windows during the summer.
At B&Q, you can get the VonHaus shade sail (2x3m) for less than £15.
“Remember to keep your blinds or curtains closed during the day to block out the heat from the sun,” added Clive.
“This will mean you can save energy on trying to cool down the inside of your home.”
If you’re lucky enough to have air conditioning, be sure to keep doors closed when it’s on.
“This will help conserve the air con in that room,” said the property whizz.
“Also make sure the unit is set to an energy-efficient temperature, of around 25 degrees Celsius.
“Make use of programmable thermostats to adjust the temperature according to when you are home.”
Clive pointed out that cooling systems will work more efficiently in a properly-insulated home.
He said: “This will keep the cool air from escaping – saving you money.”
If you don’t have air con, Clive recommended opening doors and windows.
“Do this in the early morning and evening when the temperature is cooler,” he said.
“Then close them during the day to keep the hot air out.”
Note that opening the windows on both sides of your home can create a cooling through-breeze without costing you a penny.
As the mercury rises, be sure to take advantage of the sunshine to dry your clothes.
“It may sound obvious, but if you’re able to hang washing outside, the time to do this is when the weather is hot,” said Clive.
“As a guide, if you use your tumble dryer three times a week, this could be costing you nearly £200 a year.
“By boycotting this gas-guzzling appliance during the summer, you can make some decent savings.”
