Energy saving tips this winter

One of our Energy Experts here at OVO, Greig Millar, has come up with 8, cost effective ways to reduce your bills this winter. 

So let's take a look…

1. Turning down the boiler flow temperature

Cost: FREE

Saving: around £651 per year for a typical home per year

Many condensing combi boilers are burning more gas than they need to – because their flow temperature is set between 70 and 80°C. Turning down your boilers to 60°C means they’re more likely to run at their optimum 95% efficiency, which is usually cheaper.

2. Bleeding radiators

Cost: FREE

Cost saving: it depends on multiple factors

How do you tell if a radiator needs bleeding? It’ll be warm at the bottom and cold at the top. This is because of trapped air, which makes the heating system work harder, increasing your energy bills. Greig recommends bleeding your radiators once a year. Find a step-by-step guide on how to do that here. 

3. Installing a smart meter 

Cost: FREE 

Saving: this depends on your energy use 

Smart meters give you a closer look at the energy your home is using. They are completely free! Book an appointment through your energy supplier and an engineer will do the rest.

At OVO, having a smart meter allows you to access offers like Power Move – which gives you credit back for using energy at greener times of the day. You can also see exactly where your home is using energy with the OVO app, such as whether it’s going on lighting or entertainment. 

4. Turning down radiator valves, in rooms that aren’t used much

Cost: FREE 

Saving: around £135 per year for a typical home2 per year

Turning down the valves of radiators in rooms that aren’t used very often is a good way to save. Even lowering them by 3°C can have an impact on bills. 

5. Insulating with window film 

Cost: Usually around £7-10 per roll

Saving: up to £433 per year

Despite double-glazing being compulsory for new builds, older homes may still have poorly insulated, single glazed windows. One of the cheapest and most effective ways for these households to save money is with window film. 

You can do it in four easy steps:

• First clean the window film with white spirit.
• Apply double-sided tape around the window or door to be insulated, leaving no gaps, and press the Window Insulation Film onto it.
• With a blow dryer, warm the entire surface of the Window Insulation Film and in moments the creases will disappear.
• To tidy it up, trim surplus film at the edges with a suitable craft knife.

6. Draught-proofing windows and doors

Cost: Around £5 for two rolls of draught-excluder tape 

Saving: around £504  per year

Draught-excluders stop heat from escaping by blocking gaps in doors and windows. Trapping in warm air will mean you use less energy to heat your home. 

Find out more about how to draught proof your home here. 

7. Switching to LED light bulbs 

Cost: Around £2.50 per bulb

Saving: £7 per bulb5 per year

An energy-saving bulb uses less electricity to give the same amount of light as a traditional bulb. Energy Saving Trust worked out that if you replaced all your bulbs with LED bulbs, you’d reduce your carbon emissions by up to 40kg a year. For every 60 watt bulb in your home, you could save up to £7 per bulb, per year.

8. Making sure your boiler is working efficiently  

Cost: From £98 per boiler service with OVO 

Saving: If it saves replacing the boiler, anywhere from £1,150 - £5,5006

If you’re able to get your boiler serviced, it can be a cost-effective way to limit the risk of a breakdown and make sure it’s working efficiently. 

And to make sure you’re covered if things do go wrong, we’d also recommend a home repair insurance plan. OVO’s Complete Plan covers both boiler breakdown, replacement cover and an annual boiler service.

Our Energy Experts are here to help 

If you’re thinking about taking bigger steps to improve your home’s efficiency but you’re not sure where to start, then Greig and the rest of our Energy Experts are on hand to help our customers.

If you're an existing OVO customer, check your online account for exclusive discounts on Energy Experts.

What have we missed?

Let’s use the power of our community to source some other tips for saving energy and cutting those bills. Can you recommend any tips for our members to try?

For the full guide head to the OVO website.