Energy-saving tips to help you 削減（する） 法案s - and the myths that won't do much

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The 冷淡な winter?天候 is terrible news for 世帯s that cannot afford to heat their homes the way they’d like.

The 普通の／平均（する） energy 法案 is 現在／一般に £1,834 a year?for 普通の／平均（する） gas and electricity use, going up to £1,928 a year from January 1.?

More than one million of the UK's 攻撃を受けやすい adults live in 冷淡な and damp homes, によれば the?Warm This Winter （選挙などの）運動をする.

一方／合間 年輩の charity 独立した・無所属 Age said 2.1million older people are in poverty - with many sleeping in coats and hats to stay warm.

There are a few ways to save money on energy 法案s and heat your home for いっそう少なく - but separating fact from fiction can be tricky.

Staying warm: As the 冷淡な 天候 bites, many are worried about the cost of their heating but there are ways to save money on it

There are plenty of 'energy-saving tips' that won't save you anything at all, and could just 結局最後にはーなる costing you money and time.

Fortunately This is Money has done the legwork and 暴露するd what 作品 - and what doesn’t.

Money-saving energy tips that work

Draught-proofing

Some of the best energy-saving advice might sound like something your grandparents would have said, like 封鎖するing out draughts where possible.

But that’s because that advice has stood the 実験（する） of time ? and the 実験（する） of 世代s living in colder, draughtier 所有物／資産／財産s than we do today.

Draught-proof gaps around windows, doors and floorboards by fitting 泡，激怒すること （土地などの）細長い一片s, plastic 調印（する）s or 小衝突s.

The Energy Saving 信用 見積（る）s that draught-proofing around windows, doors and 床に打ち倒すs could save you around £90 a year.

Natalie Mathie, energy 専門家 at Uswitch.com, said: 'Draught-proofing can be a simple way of 妨げるing heat escaping through gaps around windows and doors. Draught excluder tape can be bought for around £6 and can help make 貯金 by 封鎖するing gaps which can let heat out of your home.'

'厚い curtains are a useful way of keeping the heat in, as they can 封鎖する draughts coming from your windows. If you don’t want to buy new curtains, you can line your 現在の ones with cheap fleece.'

減ずる the flow 率 on your boiler

A simple tweak to your combination boiler settings could save you more than £100 a year.

Boilers have a flow 気温 ? the level they heat radiators to. These work more efficiently if the 気温 is 始める，決める to 60C.

However, boiler flow 気温s are often 始める，決める much higher than that, によれば 研究 from charity Nesta.

Lowering the flow 率 on your boile r from 80C to 60C saves nine per cent of total gas use, or around £71 a year for an 普通の／平均（する） home.

Settings tend to 変化させる from boiler to boiler so it's 価値（がある） digging out the 手動式の to find out how to reset yours.

You should also make sure your boiler is 定期的に serviced and consider boiler 保険, with just one fifth of home 保険 政策s covering boilers.?

Fit special thermostatic radiator 弁s

Your radiators may have little numbered dials 大（公）使館員d ? use them. These are called thermostatic radiator 弁s and they 始める，決める the heat each radiator gives out.

Setting them to the level you need them can save you energy, and therefore money, as you can 支配（する）／統制する which rooms are 存在 heated and by how much.

The cost saving depends on how you use these 弁s ? but some energy 会社／堅いs （人命などを）奪う，主張する these can 削減（する） energy use by up to 40 per cent. It's 価値（がある） 公式文書，認めるing that modern thermostatic 弁s are a 相当な 改良 on older ones - and if you get them fitted, learn how to use them 適切に.?

Mathie 追加するd: 'If your radiators have 冷淡な 位置／汚点／見つけ出すs, this can be a signal that they need bleeding. This helps to 除去する the 空気／公表する pockets that stop hot water 広まる around your central heating system efficiently.

'You should also check your radiator 弁s. In rooms you use いっそう少なく often, you can turn them to a lower 気温, or turn them off 完全に.

'Even in rooms you use a lot, the 弁 does not need to be on 十分な to warm a room, and keeping it at a lower setting will save you money on your energy 法案s.'

絶縁する your 所有物／資産／財産

If you can afford to, 昇格ing or 任命する／導入するing insulation can really help save money. However, this does come with an upfront cost ? which might 取り消す out any cost 貯金 for a while.

Uswitch's Ben Gallizzi said: '改善するing your home’s insulation is a bigger and longer-称する，呼ぶ／期間／用語 職業 that can save you money on your 法案s.

'Home insulation has 改善するd 徹底的に over the years, but millions of British homes do not 会合，会う today’s 基準s.

'If you are considering going 負かす／撃墜する this 大勝する, it’s 価値（がある） talking to an 専門家 to see how your home’s energy efficiency can be 改善するd.'

Paint it 黒人／ボイコット: Rumours that 絵 a radiator 黒人／ボイコット can make it much more efficient are overblown - although it can make a ごくわずかの saving

Money-saving energy myths to be 用心深い of

Leaving the heating on low all day saves money

There is an 都市の myth that leaving the central heating on a lower 気温 all day 作品 out cheaper than 爆破ing it at higher levels for shorter periods.

However, 専門家s at the Energy Saving 信用 say this is untrue, and it is more 効果的な to use shorter bursts of heat.

Putting 失敗させる／負かす behind radiators saves energy

This is a really old tip ? and there is a small 穀物 of truth to it. The idea is that putting reflective 失敗させる／負かす behind a radiator bounces heat 支援する into the room, rather than it disappearing through a 塀で囲む.

That does work in theory. But if you use 基準 kitchen tin 失敗させる／負かす, this will oxidise over time ? making it almost useless at saving any heat.

Buying professional radiator reflective 失敗させる／負かす is more 効果的な. This costs around £8 for a four-metre roll at 蓄える／店s like B&Q and Screwfix.

絵 radiators 黒人／ボイコット helps save money

The rising cost of energy has led to this ‘tip’ 存在 株d 広範囲にわたって on social マスコミ. The theory is that 黒人／ボイコット items 保持する heat better, so 絵 radiators this colour makes them more 効果的な.

However, this is ありそうもない to do much. If you painted your radiator matte 黒人／ボイコット it would be about 1 per cent more 効果的な than a white one.

So no need to repaint your radiators unless you really like the look.

It is cheaper to use energy at night

This can be true ? but it all depends on the type of 関税 you have.

If you are on an Economy 7 or Economy 10 関税 it will be cheaper since you'll 支払う／賃金 いっそう少なく for your energy at night.

Likewise, most electric 乗り物 energy 関税s 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 いっそう少なく for electricity used at off-頂点（に達する） times - almost always 夜通し.?

But for most people on 基準 energy 関税s, such as 普及した energy price cap 関税s, running 器具s at night doesn't make any difference to the cost or the 量 of energy used.

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