How to save energy when the clocks go back

The clocks go back this weekend, which means winter is well and truly upon us. And the darker, colder days mean that most of us use more energy in winter than at any other time of the year.

The good news is, there are a number of things you can do to help lower your energy bills as the temperature drops.

When do the clocks go back this year?

The clocks go back one hour at 2am on the last Sunday of October. This year the clocks will go back at 2am on Sunday, October 25.

This means the UK moves out of Daylight Saving Time (DST) and back on to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and, for a short time, it gets lighter earlier in the morning, but darker earlier in the evening.

How to save energy when DST ends

As the days get colder and darker, it’s tempting to whack the heating up and turn all the lights on, but while this might make your home more cosy, it could also add hundreds of pounds onto your winter gas and electricity bills.

So, to help cut those bills down to size, here’s how to save energy when the clocks go back.

Make sure you’re on the best energy deal

If you’re stuck on a standard variable rate tariff, or your current fixed rate deal is coming to an end, it’s time to compare energy deals – simply switching with UKPower could cut your bills by up to £482* a year, and switching to a fixed-rate deal is the only way to protect against any imminent price hikes.

Deal with draughts

Gaps in your doors, windows and floorboards allow hot air to escape and cold air to enter your house, which means your heating system will have to work harder to keep your house cosy. And if your system is overworked, this can quickly push your energy bills up.

So, block up any gaps under your doors with draught excluders or brushes, and consider fitting a letter box brush and escutcheon plates on keyholes. If you don’t have uPVC windows and doors, it might be worth fitting self-adhesive insulation strips around the frames, and put draught excluders by the bottom of any draughty doors.

It’s also worth looking into properly insulating your home before winter kicks in – check out our loft and cavity wall insulation pages for more information, as well as our guides to solid wall insulation and under-flooring insulation.

Wrap up warm

Instead of cranking up the heating, consider putting on an extra layer of clothing to keep warm and keep your heating bills down. It might also be worth actually knocking the thermostat down a degree or two, as this small change can have a big impact on your bills, and the slight drop in temperature won’t even be noticeable once you’re in your winter onesie.

Get your boiler serviced

If you’re boiler isn’t working as well as it should be, it could well be on its way out - so get it checked out to help protect against a winter breakdown. A gas safe engineer will be able to service your boiler to make sure it’s working as well as it can be, or let you know if you’ll need to replace it.

If you’ve not got boiler cover in place, or you think you’ll need a new system soon, you can compare quotes for cover or get quotes from boiler installation experts in your area, here.

Click here to run an energy price comparison, and see if you could be paying less for your gas and electricity.

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