How to make your home more energy-efficient

Homes all across the UK are leaking heat, causing issues like mould, draughts, peeling wallpaper and huge spikes in energy bills. With nearly a third of Brits unaware of their home’s EPC rating and more than a quarter unsure of how energy efficient it is, heat and energy are being wasted without householders even realising.

In fact, a fifth of UK residents don’t know how to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. So, in this blog, we take a look at some of the ways you can make your home more efficient, so you can save money, reduce your impact on the environment and stay warm all winter. 

Key takeaways

• Easy fixes to boost energy efficiency can help to keep homes warmer and save money.
• Upgrading windows to double glazing or using radiator fans can make your heating more effective.
• Renter and budget-friendly tricks include homemade draught excluders and thermal curtains. 

What is energy efficiency?

Energy efficiency is when you use the least amount of energy to provide the same results. For example, if your home is draughty, heating it to 21°C will take more energy than if it isn’t draughty. Therefore, reducing the draughts in your home will improve its energy efficiency.

This can be done in a number of ways. It’s possible to improve the efficiency of heating, lighting and various appliances.

Tips to make your home more energy efficient 

1. Switch to LED light bulbs
   LED bulbs use up to 80% less energy, last longer than halogen bulbs and are just as bright. Consider switching some traditional bulbs over to LED ones.
   

2. Upgrade your windows. If you can, upgrade to double or triple glazing, which uses panes of glass separated by a sealed layer of air to insulate and reduce heat loss. This could help you save £85 a year on energy bills.
   If you’re a renter, you could look at temporary measures like window sealing tape or thermal curtains. Another low-budget hack is using clingfilm to cover windows, then shrinking it with a hairdryer to create an airtight barrier.

   
   

3. Install a smart thermostat. A smart thermostat allows you to programme your heating for specific times more freely, meaning you can heat your home only when necessary. Some can even detect open windows and switch off automatically to avoid wasting energy.
   
   
4. Stop draughts. Use draught excluders or install a door sweep along the bottom of your door to stop airflow and keep the temperature steady in your home. 10% of your home’s heat is lost through the letterbox – consider investing in a letterbox brush or flap to minimise draughts.
   You can even make draught excluders at home – try filling some fabric with stuffing or old pairs of tights to create a budget version that works just as well.
   
   
5.  Make your heating work harder. Consider buying Radiator Fans that clip on to the bottom of your radiator and spread the heat throughout the room more evenly and twice as fast. This means you can heat your home to the same temperature with the thermostat set lower.
   
   
   

With rising heating bills a constant worry for many in the UK and the need to protect our environment is more important than ever before. So, making some or all of these changes can really make a difference to your home and the wider world around you.