The experts predict that energy prices will continue to rise in the future and by 2020, you can expect yearly bills of £3,000.
This is more than double the current average cost of your gas and electricity bills, which stands at £1,400.
And in fact, over the next few weeks as national energy suppliers increase their prices, you’ll be paying an extra £140 annually.
Energy bills increasing
Did you know that your energy bills have doubled since 2004? Every year the ‘big six’ energy companies seem to be increasing their prices and this has hit many homeowners hard. More and more householders have been thrust into fuel poverty and you’re bound to have less disposable income at the end of the month than before.
The recent energy price hike announcement will see bills increase between 5% and 10%, adding around £140 to your bills and increasing your total annual payment to £1,540. There are two reasons blamed on theses rises: Green energy and increasing wholesale costs.
So how can you go about reducing your bills? Well, there are two excellent ways to slash expenses.
Renewable energy
Why buy energy from the National Grid, when instead you can generate your own power? With a great number of incentives now linked to renewables there’s every reason to invest, whether it’s solar panels, a heat pump or even a biomass boiler.
Solar panels are easily the most popular renewable technology, fitted to rooftops and producing electricity by converting natural daylight into power to use in the home. With financial incentives including the feed-in tariff which pays you for the electricity you generate, there’s every reason to invest. And you’ll make a cracking return on investment too.
Of course, if solar panels aren’t your cup of tea then perhaps heat pumps would be more suited to you. They extract heat from the air to heat your hot water. There are both grants and quarterly payments available for those who invest in this excellent renewable product.
Home insulation
Did you know that a lot of the heat you produce via the boiler is actually wasted because of inefficiency? Heat is lost through the walls, windows and roof so hundreds of pounds could be being wasted every single day.
So how can you deal with the problem of inefficiency? Well, fortunately there are a number of improvements you can make to your home’s insulation. Firstly consider the loft and roof as heat naturally rises. Loft lagging can be placed between the loft rafters to ensure heat is retained in the home.
If you have cavity walls, and most properties built after 1920 have these, then you should certainly think about insulation to fill the space between the two brick layers. Like loft lagging, with wall cavity insulation in place more heat is kept in the home rather than lost.
The third way you can address inefficiency is with the windows. Double glazing is a brilliant insulation measure which not only retains heat in the home but cuts condensation and noise pollution too.