Are you looking for ways to track and save on your energy usage?
If you’re like many of my customers, you may not have noticed your fuel usage until you were hit with a hefty bill. Or perhaps you’ve just recently moved house and are shocked that your bills are double. It’s actually quite common, although it can come as a terrible shock when you get that bill through the door. But why is your bill so high?
Well, there are various factors that can come into play here, such as the age of your building, or whether you’ve moved from a flat to a detached house, with no neighbours on each side to keep the heat in. It could even be that your boiler just isn’t running as efficiently.
Don’t worry, I’m here to help. Below, I’m going to tell you the best ways to track and save on your energy usage.
Install a smart meter
Smart meters are currently being rolled out across the country, for good reason – they mean no more estimated bills. But the best part is that you can see exactly where your energy is going, when it’s being used, and on which appliances.
By looking at how much energy you’re using and when, you’ll also be able to see when you’re heating your home unnecessarily, and where savings could potentially be made. In fact, it was a smart meter that prompted one of my customers to get rid of their old back boiler and fit a brand new combi, instead! He began checking it daily, saw how much energy he was wasting, and finally bit the bullet.
TIP: If you’d like to get a smart meter for your home, visit the Smart Energy website to find out how!
Install smart controls
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Smart controls and thermostats are another great way to save money on your bills, and take full control of your heating.
One of the niftiest new features, is what’s called ‘geo-fence alerts’.
Once you get the app installed on your smart phone, it will know when you’re leaving the house, and you can set it to automatically turn the heating off when you leave.
Simply set the geo-fence alert for a specified radius around your home. Your heating will also turn back on again when you approach the area!
Advice from an experienced heating engineer
Suspect you’re paying too much on your energy bills? The first thing I’d recommend is to get your boiler serviced. A Gas Safe registered engineer will be able to assess if your boiler is working efficiently. They’ll check its ratings, controls, and whether or not you have an old gravity hot water system that is wasting energy.
After checking your boiler, I’d also try contacting the Energy Saving Trust for a free assessment. They will look at things such as your insulation, windows, flooring etc. They also have grants available which can help you make your home more energy efficient. Interest Free Loans are also available, although you’ll have to pay £125 for your assessment (refunded upon completion of the work).
Conclusion
By now, you should have a better idea of how you can easily track and save on your energy usage. Smart metres allow you to see exactly where you’re using energy, and where you can cut back. I’d also recommend smart controls and thermostats if you want to be extra savvy!
Got any questions about smart metres and controls? Let me know in the comments, or alternatively, give me a call!
