I’m an energy expert – four small changes in each room to reduce your bills by £700

WITH the weather taking an autumnal turn and the days starting to feel shorter, many of us have started thinking about how to keep our energy bills down this winter.

Energy bills will fall by £151 for millions of households this winter as the price cap drops from £2,074 to £1,923 on October 1.

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However, experts warn many of the poorest households are still set to face higher bills than last year because government support isn’t due to be extended.

But Robert Andrews, an energy expert from Electricity Prices, has revealed four ways to cut costs around the house to save you up to £700 this year.

Saving energy in the kitchen

The kitchen is one of the rooms in the home where appliances can consume the most amount of energy.  

Mr Andrews says this is the room where making just a few small changes could shave hundreds of pounds off your bills.

“The oven is an appliance that gets used on a daily basis, and using it for only one hour a day could cost you around £240 a year,” he explained.

“Switching to an air fryer most of the time could cut your bills to around £132 a year, based on a 1,000W air fryer.”

He said the kettle and the washing machine can also be huge energy-guzzlers, so it’s crucial to use them as efficiently as possible.

“When washing your clothes, wait until you have a full wash,” he advised.

Half loads could cost you around £120 a year, he explained, while only using the machine when it’s full would halve your costs to £60 a year.

“The same can be said for using the kettle,” he added.

“Boiling a full kettle costs around 4p a time, which works out to around £60 a year if you have four cups a day, while only using the water you need will save you £30 off that amount.”

He also advised keeping your fridge and freezer away from heat sources such as radiators and out of direct sunlight.

“You should also defrost your freezer if the ice build-up is more than a 1/4 inch thick, which unbelievably could save you around £150 a year,” he said.

Saving energy in the bathroom

Despite having few electricals in the room, your bathroom can also push up the price of your energy bills if you’re not using it efficiently.

If you’re the type of person that likes to spend a lot of time in the shower then Mr Andrews recommends learning to go without for a bit.

“Cutting your shower time to only five minutes on average could save you around £130 on your gas and electricity bills,” he explained.

And if your toilet system has a dual flush, which aims to conserve water, make sure you’re using the correct one for your needs at the time.

Mr Andrews said: “The large flush which should be used for solid waste uses anywhere from six to nine litres of water, whereas the smaller flush, which should be used for liquid waste, uses half that amount.”

For parents, try cutting down your water usage by using a bath water barrier or a baby dam for young children.

An average bath holds around 100 litres of water, which isn’t required for the little ones.

Using one of these devices can save around half the water, saving on your bills.

“You can also fit low flow fixtures, which can reduce the flow of your water and save you around £40 a year,” Mr Andrews said.

Saving energy in the bedroom

There are ways to conserve energy in the bedroom without compromising on any comfort, Mr Andrews said.

For example, try switching your bulbs to LED lights or use a dimmer switch, saving around £5 per light each year when compared to regular bulbs.

“Electric blankets can save money as they are cheaper to run than putting the heating on,” he added.

“However, they can be expensive to purchase. Having the right type of seasonal bedding in the first place can cut down on your bills in both the winter and summer.”

He suggested investing in some cheap draught-proofing methods such as draught-proofing tape, which can be bought online for £3.99 – while saving around £40 a year on heating bills.

Saving energy in the living room

The living room can use more energy than you may realise, as most electrical devices we use while relaxing tend to be plugged in here, Mr Andrews warns.

However, this means the room is ripe for new cost-cutting measures.

Mr Andrews suggests first ensuring anything you’re not using and don’t need at that moment is not left on standby.

“Your TV, phone chargers, router box, and any other electronic appliance that is left on standby costs you money,” he said.

“Turning them off when not in use can save you around £50 a year.”

The position of the furniture in your living room can also affect your bills, he said.

Try putting your sofa as centrally in the room as possible to maximise the warmth in the room.

“If you position your sofa in front of the radiators, it won’t let heat circulate as efficiently, while putting it against the wall can also cause you to feel colder,” he explained.

“If you have a wooden floor in your living room, heat will escape from it – so purchasing a rug is a simple and cost-effective way of improving insulation,” he added.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].

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This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk