Unless you\u2019ve buried your head in the sand over the last six months you\u2019ll know energy prices have been on the rise again. The public furore surrounding this has forced the Government and opposition to be at loggerheads with each other over the best action to take. <\/p>\n
And with all of the country\u2019s major energy suppliers increasing their costs there is nowhere to hide. But despite a rise in prices, is it just the companies at fault for your expensive bills?<\/p>\n
Actually, your home could be at fault as well. Or so Npower\u2019s Paul Massarra claims. He believes: \u201cThe actual unit price of energy in the UK is one of the lowest in Europe \u2013 but bills are high because British houses waste so much energy.
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\n\u201cIf we can increase the efficiency of the UK\u2019s old and draughty housing, we can ensure that annual energy bills are some of the lowest too.\u201d<\/p>\n
So is this right? Or are Npower looking to simply turn the public eye elsewhere. Let\u2019s have a look. <\/p>\n
Heat has this nasty habit of trying to escape your home. And it will try every way possible to do just that. Without wall cavity insulation you could be wasting as much as \u00a3140 a year on energy bills according to the Energy Saving Trust. <\/p>\n
Even if you don\u2019t have cavity walls, solid wall insulation is very worthwhile. It\u2019ll keep your home warmer all year round, especially winter. <\/p>\n
And you don\u2019t always have to foot the bill yourself because of green levies available. <\/p>\n
Heat rises. This can have a devastating effect on your bills if you don\u2019t have the right insulation in place. By investing in 270mm of loft lagging you can save \u00a3180 annually. <\/p>\n
Do you have an old boiler? If so the chances are it could be inefficient and wasting hundreds of pounds a year. By switching your system for an A-rated replacement you can save a whopping \u00a3310 a year.<\/p>\n
Paul Massarra adds: \u201cIt\u2019s interesting. I have two teenage daughters. They have been brought up in a generation that has looked at energy efficiency that has looked at climate change.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey would never dream of walking out of a bathroom leaving the taps running. And yet my teenage daughters will walk out of a room and leave the lights on and their iPod playing and the TV on quite happily.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I do think we need to change our approach and the way we think about energy waste.\u201d<\/p>\n
So can we really make a saving by changing our day-to-day habits? In short, yes. And there\u2019s quite a considerable saving to be made too. By turning off appliances rather than switching them to standby you can save between \u00a350 and \u00a390 a year. <\/p>\n
Then consider other areas of your home: Wash your clothes at a lower temperature, 30 degrees instead of 40; Turn down your heating by a degree; Consider energy saving light bulbs; Don\u2019t leave laptops on charge when not in use. <\/p>\n
All of these are ways to save money. So if you really want to start making a difference to your expenses, it\u2019s time to take action into your own hands. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Unless you\u2019ve buried your head in the sand over the last six months you\u2019ll know energy prices have been on the rise again. The public … <\/p>\n