As of April 1st, the Ofgem energy price cap has increased to £1,849 per year for a typical household using gas and electricity. This means many homeowners in Greater Manchester will be facing higher bills.
In response, Deborah Hughes, Sales and Marketing Director at Countryside Homes in Greater Manchester explains what a change to the energy price cap means and how householders can make savings on their bills.
The energy price cap sets the maximum amount customers can be charged for each unit of energy. While the price cap is now set at £1,849, it doesn’t mean everyone will pay the same price.
What you pay depends on your usage. Therefore, you can keep your bills down, despite the cap rising. Here are some ways to reduce your energy consumption to keep your wallet happy.
Upgrade your appliances
While buying new appliances can be costly upfront, most home appliances now come with some energy-saving features to save you money in the long term. Choosing an A-rated dishwasher can save you around £25 a year, compared to the lowest-rated dishwasher of the same size. They also use less water, keeping that bill down too.*
Insulate your home
Greener homes are those that are well-insulated. Insulation acts as a barrier to heat flow, preventing heat from escaping your home in winter and entering in summer. By slowing down heat flow, you won’t have to heat or ventilate your home as often, bringing your energy consumption down.
Energy-efficient windows are also designed to minimise the amount of heat that travels through to keep your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Instead of a single pane of glass, double or triple glazing reduces the heat transfer to keep it inside or outside, depending on the time of year.
Install smart technology
Many households are used to energy smart meters, but how many of us actually scrutinise the results and costs? Regularly checking the meter to identify any trends in usage and cross-checking it with your bill will help you understand your usage patterns and where you can make some changes.
When it comes to heating, you could take it one step further and install smart thermostats and thermostatic radiator valves. These heating controls manage the temperature in individual rooms and set schedules so you’re not heating empty space.
Introduce little changes
If you can’t afford to invest in new technology or appliances right now, don’t forget you can make some cost-free changes.
For example, using the washing machine more efficiently by washing clothes at a lower temperature will save you precious energy.
If you have a combi boiler, consider lowering the flow temperature to 60°C or below. This can save gas without affecting the warmth of your home. Make sure you check your boiler manual before making any changes though.
Consider a greener home
One much bigger investment you can make is to purchase a more efficient home. Moving to a new-built home could significantly decrease your energy bills as they are designed to be much greener than older properties.
All our standard homes have an EPC rating of A or B, compared to less than 5% of second-hand properties that reached the same standard. This means our homes are on average 64% cheaper to heat than an equivalent Victorian property, saving you up to £907 a year on your heating bills.**
** Home Builders Federation, Watt a Save report
To find out more about the energy-efficient Countryside Homes available across Greater Manchester, visit: https://www.countrysidehomes.com/