boydens.co.uk Utilities 34 10 DRAUGHTPROOF YOUR PROPERTY A cold draught causes your home to lose heat, making it more tempting to turn the heating up. Draught excluders or draught-proofing kits are an effective way to prevent this. Seal cracks in floors and skirting boards, line your letterbox and block an unused chimney to reduce your heating bills by up to £35 a year. 11 INSULATE THE ROOF Insulating your roof will stop heat escaping from your home, however, the process can be complicated, so it may be best to employ an expert to do this. While insulating your loft can cost several hundreds of pounds, it can also shave around £135 off your energy bills each year if you live in a typical semidetached house. 12 MONITOR YOUR USAGE Keeping a watchful eye on your consumption levels can help you decide if and when you have to change the way you use energy. Installing a Smart Meter lets you track your consumption with accurate and real time information, and you may be surprised where the most energy is used in your home. 09 INVEST IN DOUBLE GLAZING Double glazing insulates your home from the cold and helps reduce your heating bill, as well as keeping the noise out. If your semi-detached home is entirely single glazed, you could save as much as £110 a year by installing A-rated double glazing. If you are struggling to pay your bill, you should contact your energy supplier to explain what you can pay and when. They are bound by Ofgem rules to listen, consider your ability to pay and to act to support you fairly. Low income households, especially pensioners, can get a £140 rebate on their energy bill under the Warm Home Discount. Remember also that switching to a one or two-year fixed deal gives you greater peace of mind because it provides some protection from volatile global fossil fuel prices. Equally, if you don’t want to switch supplier or you are unable to, contact your supplier who should be able to put you on a better deal and make sure you have access to all the support you are entitled to. SUPPORT IS AVAILABLE
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