Five top tips from Which? to cut your energy bills

1. Choose the right energy tariff

Fixed tariffs

If you’re not on a fixed deal already, you could save by switching to one. We recommend fixing for no longer than 12 months, and choosing a tariff with low or no exit fees, in case circumstances change and you want to cancel your contract early.

Time of use tariffs

Smart time-of-use tariffs can deliver savings – especially if you have green tech such as a heat pump, battery storage or an electric or hybrid car. These tariffs use your smart meter to log electricity use, and charge you different rates during different time windows.

If you’re considering a time-of-use tariff, make sure you check what its peak time periods are, and the rates at those times. You’ll need to think about whether you can make the most of the cheaper off-peak rates, and avoid using too much electricity at peak times.

Comparing energy prices

Use the Which? impartial energy switching service to compare current energy prices for your home.

2. Add insulation where you can

Low-cost insulation

Improving your home’s insulation is an accessible and cost-effective way to reduce energy bills. It can cost as little as £15 to fit your own foam insulation around exposed hot water pipes. The more insulation you add, the more you’ll save.

Loft insulation

If you have no loft insulation and add the recommended 270mm, you could save up to £200 per year in a semi-detached house, and feel cosier too.

Cavity wall insulation

Once that’s done, consider insulation for your walls as well. This is very dependent on the type of walls in your house so you should get advice from a qualified retrofit assessor before going further.

Draughtproofing

If you’re not up for a big project, or are renting and can’t make structural changes, you can still do a lot of good with simple draughtproofing. Even small changes will reduce heat loss and make your home feel cosier at lower temperatures, so you may not need to reach for the thermostat so often.

Draughtproofing checklist:

• Windows: use draughtproofing strips around leaky window frames. Brush strips work better for sash windows.

• Doors: use draughtproofing strips around the edges, and brush or hinged-flap draught excluders at the bottom.

• Floorboards and skirting: floorboards need to move, so use a flexible silicone-based filler when filling draughty gaps.

• Loft hatches: use draughtproofing foam strips to keep heat in.

Remember – you need ventilation in your home, so don’t cover up holes that are supposed to be there, such as trickle vents in window frames. Good ventilation can prevent damp and mould from building up.

3. Use appliances efficiently

The appliances that use the most energy tend to be white goods and those used for cooking. Any appliance using electricity for heating or cooling air (such as fridges, ovens and tumble dryers) or water (dishwashers and washing machines) use a lot of electricity. Modern electronics such as TVs and laptop chargers use far less.

Washer-dryers are the priciest appliances to run, costing over £200 per year on average, according to Which? testing. Condenser tumble dryers and American-style fridge freezers also cost a lot to use, each adding an average of over £125 per year to bills.

Try these tips to lower your energy payments:

• Wash clothes at a lower temperature. Doing your laundry at 30ºC (rather than 40ºC) cuts the cost by 38%, according to our tests.

• Only run your dishwasher when it’s full and well stacked, so you don’t need to rewash items.

• Use eco settings on appliances that have them.

• Dry laundry outside when weather permits, rather than using a tumble dryer.

• Wait for food to cool before freezing, and defrost frozen food in the fridge.

• Keep appliances clean. Regularly descaling your kettle, defrosting your freezer, cleaning your tumble dryer’s lint filter and cleaning the coils at the back of your fridge helps them run efficiently.

4. Adjust your boiler and thermostat

If your gas boiler isn’t set up to run efficiently, your heating bill may be higher than it needs to be. During your annual boiler service, ask your engineer if there are any tweaks that could be made to reduce running costs.

Optimising combi boilers

If you have a combi boiler, reducing its flow temperature can lower your bills. An engineer can do it during a service, but it’s also possible to do it yourself – check your boiler’s manual or find it online. Condensing combi boilers tend to have heating flow temperatures set to 75-80°C, but 50-70°C is enough for many homes. Start with a small change, and check your radiators are warming up the rooms well before lowering it further.

Making the most from thermostats

Lowering your thermostatic radiator valves can reduce demand in rooms you’re not using. Make sure your central thermostat is set up to come on and off at times that suit your home, and that it’s set as low as is comfortable. The radiator nearest your thermostat should always have a fully open valve, to avoid a conflict that leaves your heating on for longer.

5. Think about alternatives

If you’re considering other energy improvements to your home – such as swapping your gas or oil boiler for a heat pump, or installing solar panels – it’s best to get independent advice.

Free tools are available online. Which? has a home energy planning service that gives tailored information on costs and savings, based on your Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) and other data. Don’t worry if your EPC isn’t up to date – you can manually edit the responses.

Other options include:

• Updating your EPC. This is required when you sell or rent out your home. EPCs are quick and easy to get, and usually cost £50-£150. The information they provide is basic, so we wouldn’t recommend basing your upgrades on this alone.

• A retrofit assessment. A three-part retrofit report includes an EPC, an Occupancy Assessment detailing how energy is used in your home, and a Condition Report on the building’s state of repair. These are largely aimed at government-funded retrofit schemes, and again provide fairly basic advice. Costs range from £150-£300.

• Solar feasibility report or heat pump survey. If you’d like to get one of these technologies, a specialist survey is the next step. They’re sometimes refundable if it turns out your home isn’t suitable. Solar surveys are often done remotely, so they’re quick and non-intrusive: look for community organisations that offer independent advice. Heat pump surveys are usually done by installers. After an initial free quote, they will visit your home to conduct a lengthy on-site survey. The information can be very useful, but isn’t impartial and won’t go into alternative options.

• Whole house retrofit plan. This is the most expensive option – sometimes in the range of £750 – but by far the most comprehensive. If you’re planning a large-scale renovation and want impartial, scientific recommendations with detailed costings, architectural drawings and scheduling options, it’s a worthwhile investment. You’ll often get ongoing follow-up support as well. Look for retrofit coordinators in your area.

Get help making your home more energy efficient

Try the free Which? home energy planning service for personalised advice on how to make your property more energy efficient and reduce energy bills. You can also find out how to make your home more energy efficient, with free information on solar panels, heat pumps, insulation and draught proofing.