Winter is coming! It's time to start preparing your home for winter. Without wishing away the last of the summer, it's time to start thinking about how you're going to keep on top of your energy bills over the colder seasons. We've got all sort of tips for you from the simple things people overlook, to ones you may not have even heard of!

1. Energy Saving Tips
preparing your home for winter
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2. Start off simple with a bright idea...
The easiest place to start is to go around the house
and check that you’re using energy saving lightbulbs.
Used throughout your home they could save £60
a year, and they tend to last longer than traditional
bulbs, which reduces another little cost!
Make a note of the bulbs in your house before you
pop to the shop to be certain you’re buying the right
ones for your home.
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3. Let natural light do it’s thing
Got any South facing windows?
Keep the curtains open during the day to let the
sunlight in and warm up your home naturally.
Make sure to close them as the sun goes down to
stop any heat escaping when it starts to cool.
Keeping them closed on the North side during the
day will also help to retain the heat.
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4. Weatherproof your windows
You can always add extra protection to your windows
to keep heat in, look online or at big DIY stores for
plastic sheets that seal over your window.
These act like another layer of glazing to help keep
the cold out and, most importantly, the heat in.
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5. Whip out your sewing skills
Line your curtains with insulating material - it’s a
simple weekend afternoon job where all you need is a
little fabric glue, and maybe a running stitch.
It can reduce heat loss by as much as 25%, which is
definitely a tidy little saving.
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6. Timing is essential
Keep your central heating on a timer. There’s no need to heat a home that you’re not
using during the day.
If you like coming home to a warm house after work, set the timer for half an hour
before you arrive - this will make it warm enough to get some heat circulating without
much unnecessary wastage.
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7. Simple science to warm you up
Make the most of the heat from your radiators by placing foil behind them, or a
shelf 2ft above them.
Sounds crazy, but the heat reflects off of the foil and bounces back into the room -
the thicker the foil, the more heat you get back in the room.
Fun Fact: This also works on WiFi routers for a better Internet connection.
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8. Man’s best friend
Draught excluders are another simple, cost-effective way of reducing the amount of
places heat can escape around the house.
Get one in the shape of an animal if your landlord won’t let you have a pet.
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9. ‘Tis the season to be frugal
Save money with your Christmas decorations and buy LED holiday
lights as these use less energy than traditional fairy lights.
Every little helps, especially around the season of giving. Why not
buy yourself a present in the January sales with all the money that
you have saved?
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10. Now for the important stuff
Something as simple as paying your energy bills by
direct debit can help you save up to £100.
Make sure you talk to your provider to be certain that
you’re getting the best deal.
Some suppliers also offer discounts for little options
such as receiving your bills online instead of the old
fashioned way in the post.
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11. How can EAL help you?
Even bigger savings can come if you haven’t switched your supplier recently.
You could be on the higher out of contract rates without even realising it.
Switching saves customers an average of £200 a year, thanks to the competitive rates
offered to entice new customers.
So what are you waiting for? Give us a ring and find out what you could be saving.
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12. 0800 915 1800 · http://www.energyadviceline.org.uk
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