Four easy ways to help lower your energy bills

Most of us are spending much more time at home these days, whether it’s working, socialising or using our homes as our gyms, so you may find that your energy bills are higher than usual.

However, by taking on a few simple home projects, you could live sustainably, help to reduce your energy use and keep your bills down.

Here we share four easy home projects that you can tackle right now to save energy and money.

These tasks can easily be done yourself—all you need are a couple of spare hours, a few tools and some equipment which you can easily find online.

With lighting accounting for 15% of a typical household electricity bill, replacing standard incandescent bulbs with energy-efficient alternatives such as LEDs or compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) can help to lower your energy bill and could save you around £40 a year.  

What's more, energy saving light bulbs last longer than standard incandescent bulbs, so replacing your bulbs with energy- efficient alternatives can save you time and money in the long term.  

Go through your home room by room, noting the size and wattage of your old light bulbs. The output (watts) of an energy efficient bulb differs from the output of an incandescent bulb, so make sure you check online to ensure you get the same brightness from your new bulb. 

Individual devices suck up power when they're plugged in, even if they're not in use. You can save energy by plugging multiple devices into one power strip, then turning the strip off when you're not using it.

Start by making a list of the devices in each room that require outlets — everything from TVs and lamps to toasters and electric toothbrushes. From there, you can determine how many power strips you need to lower the number of individual items taking up outlets.

If your window seals aren't tight enough, air can travel into or escape out of your home, forcing you to use more energy to maintain the right temperature inside.

To prevent air leaks in your home, it's crucial to check your window seals. Examine the place where the window connects to the wall and where the window frame meets the sash. If there are any gaps or light coming through, or if your seals are cracked, they probably aren't functioning properly. Seals can deteriorate over time from heat, cold, moisture, and UV rays, so it's a good idea to inspect them at least once a year.

From there, fill in any gaps using caulking. Look for a water-based foam sealant; they tend to be more flexible than polyurethane foams and won't over-expand in the gaps.

One of the easiest ways to reduce both water and energy is to install low-flow showerheads and tap aerators in your home.

Low-flow devices restrict the amount of water coming out of your sinks and showerheads, thereby also reducing the amount of energy required to heat that water. Plus, eco-devices are easy to install. Simply attach aerators to your bathroom and kitchen sink taps, then use a spanner to replace your showerheads.

Making these few easy home changes could help you lower your energy bills and improve your energy efficiency at home at the same time.

E.ON also offers a range of sustainable home products, such as solar panels to generate your own energy or smart meters which enable you to effectively manage your energy use.

Visit E.ON for more information about how E.ON can help to make your home more energy efficient for the future, including our E.ON See tool which provides personal tips and advice.