What is Happening with British Energy Prices & What Can You do to Counteract Them?
The energy crisis is one that is dominating the headlines and causing a great deal of concern for people right now and it is a situation that many people will struggle with over the coming months. The cost of energy has skyrocketed as a result of a lack ofsupply due to the war in Ukraine along with rising demand since the end of COVID-19. October has seen energy bills rise to almost double normal levels and the government has recently announced that the energy price guarantee will now in end in April instead of lasting two years, which could see prices skyrocket again after winter.
What Can You Do?
So, what can you do as an individual to combat this situation? There are a few steps to take that will help to keep your energy bills down and one of the best solutions is to ensure that your home is properly insulated. Insulating the home will make it more energy efficient so that you have to use less to keep the housewarm and prevent energy loss. Wall cavity insulation, attic insulation and pipe insulation are all worthwhile that will lower your bills while making it easier to keep your home nice and warm in winter.
Appliance Efficiency
You also need to consider the appliances and heating equipment that you are using as older items will use up more energy. New plumbing and heating equipment has higher energy efficiency, so it is worth upgrading as a way tokeep your costs down over the long term as well as reduce your environmental impact.
Draught Proofing
Draughts in the home are incredibly frustrating and the enemy of energy efficiency. A small draught can allow the cold air to seep in and the warm air to escape, which means that it will require more energy to keep your home warm. Sealing around windows and doors will plug any gaps and make it both cheaper and easier to keep your home warm and comfortable during the winter months.
Reduce Appliance Usage
The easiest way to combat rising energy bills is simply to lower your usage. In particular, you will want to focus on water, heating, hot water and electric appliances. This means that you should take shorter/colder/fewer showers, turn down the thermostat (layer up instead), wash clothes on a cold setting and turn off appliances when not in use.
It is a worrying time right now with the energy crisis already making it harder for people to manage heading into the cold winter months. The good news is that there are many things that you can do as an individual to combat rising energy bills and combining the above should help you to offset the rising costs heading into the winter months.
