7 hacks you hadn’t thought of to save energy – as Ofgem price cap rises

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Louise Thomas

Editor

Households will have to fork out even more money for energy this winter as Ofgem has announced that the average household energy bill is set to increase by £149 from October.

The regulator revealed this morning that it will hike its price cap by 10% from the current £1,568 for a typical household in England, Scotland and Wales to £1,717.

So, we have put together some useful hacks on how to save money this winter when we begin to feel the pinch…

1. Put tin foil behind your radiators

Grab some tin foil from your kitchen cupboard and put some down the back of each radiator.

“This will help to reflect some of the heat back towards your room and is cheaper than reflector foil,” explains Andrew Haydon, a DIY and home improvement expert at Simply Plastics. “Just make sure to use sturdy double-sided tape to keep it adhered to the wall.”

2. Set your TV on a low-energy setting

“Factors like the size of your screen, the brightness of the display, the age of your TV, and its overall energy-efficiency rating can also impact your electricity bill,” says David Walter, chief growth officer at Utility Warehouse.

See if your TV has features like automatic shut-off when no one is watching, and screen dimmers that cut the amount of energy needed when the set is on.

If you are planning to invest in a new TV soon, check its EnergyGuide label. This will explain its energy use statistics, such as the estimated annual energy costs and the total cost range from high to low.

3. Install modern dimmer switches

“If your light bulbs are compatible with dimmer switches, this could be a good option to reduce your daily energy consumption,” suggests Julia Barnes, head of buying at ValueLights. “Modern dimmer switches have been designed to reduce the flow of electricity passed to your bulb – dimming your LED will use less energy than the same LED at full brightness.

“Not only does this make them more energy efficient but this also increases their lifespan.”

4. Buy a smart extension cable

“It will automatically shut down power to electronics when they enter standby mode,” explains Walter. “This is especially handy for home entertainment systems where devices – like TVs and consoles – aren’t completely turned off when not in use.”

5. Create an airer tent

Using a tumble dryer comes at a huge cost, so try this airer tent hack instead.

Pop your airer next to a radiator, hang your clothes up and then place a sheet over the airer to create a tent.

This TikToker claims that the sheet will trap the warm air under the ‘tent’, which should dry your clothes quicker.

6. Make a draught excluder

Placing draught excluders under doors and windows is an inexpensive and effective way to keep heat from escaping.

“I’m sure many of us can relate to the struggle of trying to conceal a draughty window on a cold winter’s day – and that’s where draught excluders are imperative,” says Stephen Hankinson, energy efficiency expert at Electric Radiators Direct. “Installing these during the warm summer months can put you ahead of the curve for when the temperature inevitably falls later in the year.”

Explaining about how this works, Jess Steele, heating technology expert at BestHeating, said: “It stops cold air from entering the room you are in as long as the doors are left closed too, and the Energy Saving Trust predict this saves as much as £45 a year.”

There are lots of tutorials about how to make your own draught excluders at home on TikTok and YouTube. And many of them recommend items you probably already have at home, such as tights and cardboard rolls.

7. Maintain your radiator

“A quick and easy job that will improve the efficiency of your radiators is bleeding them to release trapped air,” says Steele. “Check for cold spots at the top of a radiator to allow hot water to circulate freely, which can lower bills by around £130 a year.”

Also make sure to give them a good dust every once in a while, regular maintenance is key!

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