Plumbminto's Team
- Jun 16, 2022
- 3 min read

HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON YOUR ENERGY BILLS

A question we are being asked more and more often is how can you save money on your energy bills? How do you stop burning your money on your heating?

You may not be surprised to learn that the way most homeowners try to reduce their monthly bills is simply:

"To try and cope as long as possible before absolutely having to turn the heating on lest our toes get frozen off!"

Now we are not saying that you should turn your heating on unnecessarily, or that you shouldn’t conserve water where

possible, however there are ways to keep your energy costs low without compromising your wellbeing. Let’s take a look at them here…

Switch Supplier

This seems like an obvious one, however we are all so busy with our lives it can often seem too time-consuming to ring around looking for the best rate. It can save you up to £300 a year though, especially if you’ve been with the same provider for over 12 months, so it’s worth taking 30 minutes or so to make those calls/online searches.

Turn down the heating

Another simple, yet effective, suggestion is to simply turn down your heating by 1°c. Most people won’t notice the temperature difference and yet it can save up to 10% of your annual heating bill. There are also so m

any new and SMART heating thermostats that you can control phone the comfort of the phone in your hand, so if you feel comfortably warm, you can switch off the heating or turn it down as required. Plumbminto’s can help advise on the best thermostat for your needs if you just give us a call.

Upgrade your boiler

There are an estimated 9 million “zombie boilers” which may work but are inefficient and thus unnecessarily costly. Modern

equivalents can save on average £460 a year in bills, so within just 4 years approximately you will have made your money back on the new boiler installation and can start benefitting from the monetary savings. If you’re not sure if your old boiler is classified as a “zombie boiler” then contact Plumbminto's for advice and a free quote for a replacement.

Upgrade your radiators

Besides “zombie boilers” you may fall into the category of homeowners who have “zombie radiators”. Generally, radiators that are over 15 years old really should be replaced with more modern models as they are f

ar more energy efficient now. Newer radiators are smaller and yet produce the same, if not more heat, therefore requesting less energy to heat up your property. Furthermore, old radiators may have cold spots and/or blockages, which are compromising their full heating potential so you end up keeping your heating on for longer or at higher temperatures than necessary.

Thermostatic Radiator Valves

Another way in which you can get the most of out of your radiators without wasting energy is to replace any standard locksheild valves with thermostatic ones. Thermostatic Radiator Valves (TRVs) allow you to control the temperature levels on each individual radiator, so family members who run cold can have a higher setting in their room in comparison to those who run hot. There are also SMART radiator valves that will allow you to set each room up as required and you can do this from your phone.

Deep clean

If your system if full of sludge, even the most energy efficient boilers will struggle, and internal components could get damaged. A powerflush is a deep clean of the central heating pipework and radiators using

a powerflush machine. It will get rid of as much moveable sludge as possible running through your central heating system, making the water almost clear and totally renewed. It is always advisable to have a full powerflush if you have a new boiler installed as to protect it and get the most out of the new boiler.

Boiler service

If your boiler is not too old and it functions without an issue, then you ought to have it service annually. A boiler service costs far less than the replacement of pats, so to keep everything running smoothly for as long as possible, you should do this every year, and every 2-3 years a full strip down service should be carried out which will involve replacing some perishable fittings. On top of that, if your boil

er is still within its warranty, the guarantee will become void if you do not have it serviced annually. Plumbminto's carry out both basic boiler services and full strip services so call us for a quote. Don’t forget that any works carried out to your boiler must be done by a Gas Safe Registered engineer such as Plumbminto’s engineers.

Plumbminto’s offer all of the services mentioned above and would love the opportunity to help you and your family save significant costs on your energy bills from now on!