Winter is coming, and as the temperature plunges, so in turn our bills increase.
Households spend hundreds, sometimes thousands, of pounds to keep warm over winter, with energy bills stubbornly high. In fact, energy bills are a staggering 50% higher on average than they were just five years ago.
With such a precipitous escalation in such a short span of time, it’s no wonder that so many are turning to offbeat solutions to the cost of living crisis and finding unusual ways to keep energy bills down, as far as possible.
One tip which has been shared by heating experts in the past involves using aluminium or reflective foil behind radiators. Or failing that, just use crisp packets.
Mark McShane, a heating expert at Boiler Cover UK, says this ‘simple yet effective’ method will boost your radiator’s efficiency, meaning that you don’t need to run it as long, costing you less in heating bills.
He said: “By placing a reflective material, such as an empty crisp packet, behind your radiators, you can bounce the heat back into your room instead of letting it escape through the walls. It’s an easy, cost-effective way to make the most of your heating.”
To use this method, simply cut and clean an empty crisp packet, then attach it to the wall behind your radiator using double-sided tape. The reflective surface helps direct more heat back into the room, allowing you to feel warmer without increasing your energy usage.
This is the same method as the ‘foil trick’, but is even cheaper than using foil because you can use empty packets you already had at home, saving you even more money.
Another tip involves the oven door, and using bubble wrap to insulate your windows as well.
He added: “Leaving your oven door open after cooking allows the residual heat to warm your kitchen, and using bubble wrap on windows can serve as an insulator, reducing heat loss.”
