Homeowners could
save several hundred pounds on energy bills each year by following a range of simple tips designed to reduce power consumption, according to price comparison site moneysupermarket.com.
One instant saving - which could total £55 over a 12-month period - can be created simply by turning the thermostat down.
Whilst families should not sit in the cold, even decreasing the temperature of a property by a few degrees can make a significant difference to the monthly bill.
Similarly, closing the curtains could also help to save energy and make the transition to a lower thermostat temperature seamless.
"There's no point heating your home only to have the warmth escape through the windows," says moneysupermarket.com, so drawing the curtains at dusk could help to keep heat in.
An increasingly prolific waste of power is by charging items, such as mobile phones and cameras, for too long.
Even when the battery of electronic devices is full it will continue to use energy if left on charge - meaning households which leave gadgets charging overnight could be throwing cash away.
Larger electronic items can also be a significant waste of power if left on standby - for example televisions that remain active whilst not being watched and microwaves that are left on despite not being required - as they continue to use electricity.
One final tip by the price comparison site is to fill washing machines and dishwashers to the brim before switching them on.
Washing clothes or kitchenware in a partially-empty machine, over the course of a year, can add a hefty sum to a water or electricity bill.
Moneysupermarket.com concludes: "Saving energy and money really is simple once you've changed a few household habits."
The Energy Saving Trust, which states that boilers can be responsible for as much as 60 per cent of carbon emissions in a home, but replacing an existing system with a new high energy efficiency boiler could save a household as much as £235 a year.
