Energy Efficiency is the only way to reduce Fuel Bills - By: Arvind Sharma

With an average energy bill set to climb to £1406 in 2009 (from £676 in 2005), the Government has given a commitment to help consumers improve household energy efficiency and permanently bring down energy bills.

As the nation waits for confirmation of where Government support will be given, many organisations are offering advice and guidance into where and how families can make changes that will cut their household energy costs.

Figures from the Energy Savings Trust suggest that if everyone undertook a number of simple measures including: Fitting energy saving light bulbs, double glazed windows, installing a condensing boiler, cavity wall and loft insulation and jackets for hot water tanks, UK households could reduce energy bills by over £270 a year and save over £1.9bn in fuel costs*.

Paul Kellett, Technical Director at Anglian Home Improvements, an Energy Savings Trust recommended supplier said: “It is increasingly becoming apparent that current fuel price increases are set to have dramatic effects on many people’s household bills.

“But making energy efficient changes, ahead of the winter months, could lead to savings of thousand’s of pound on future fuel bills - as well as adding to a house’s value. If people are considering making improvements we would urge them to look at the most energy efficient options.

“Installing double glazing for example, cuts heat lost through windows by half. At Anglian we fit B-rated energy saving double glazing as standard, which offers potential savings of over £110 per year per household.”

Further estimations on savings to be gained from implementing energy efficiency measures in the home include*:
Around a third of all the heat lost in an un-insulated home is lost through the walls. Fitting cavity wall insulation could save up to £120 on an annual fuel bill
Insulating an uninsulated loft can save around £155 a year If everyone in the UK topped up their loft insulation to 270mm, around £560m would be saved each year. That's enough money to pay the annual fuel bills of around 530,000 families.
An ultra efficient condensing boiler will be 20% more efficient and could save up to £130 on heating bills.
Fitting an insulating jacket to the hot water cylinder could save around £30 per year
Setting hot water cylinder thermostats to 60°C/140°F could save up to £10 over the year
Using low energy light bulbs to save £10 on electricity bills each year.
By installing draught proofing you could save around £25 a year on your heating bills

Financial help may be available if you're planning to make energy saving improvements to your home

*Figures are from http://www.energysavingstrust.org.uk

About the Author

Anglian Home Improvements is the UK’s leading home improvements company. With more than 40 years’ experience and an annual turnover of £300million, Anglian ensures they are ahead of the competition with a continuing research and development programme. For any advice on energy efficient home improvements, call 0800 500 600 or visit http://www.anglianhome.co.uk

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