Many people will be continuing to work from home for the duration of 2020, and possibly beyond, which is great for saving time and money on the daily commute, seeing more of family and pets, and working to your own schedule.

However, it’s not so great for our energy bills. Research by the Energy Helpline has revealed that homeworkers could see their winter energy bills go up by a staggering £107.18 between October and March, and even just working from home for one day a week can cost £22.

However, while bills are always going to increase in winter, you don’t need to be shelling out hundreds of pounds just for working from home. We have some energy saving tips that will save money for future home improvements!

 

1. Improve your home insulation

If you own your home, then you could be eligible for the Green Homes Grant scheme, which will become available in late September. You could receive up to £5,000, or £10,000 if you’re on a low income, towards the cost of energy-saving home improvements or the installation of a low carbon heating system in your home.

 

2. Only heat the room you’re using

As simple as turning off the radiators in rooms you do not typically use during the day can save a lot of money. If there’s only you in the house during the day, and you have a dedicated workspace, then there’s little point in having heating in rooms such as the bedroom or lounge if you’re elsewhere in the home all day.

 

3. Avoid electric heaters

While it might seem prudent to get a small electric heater for your home office instead of turning on the central heating, but this is a false economy. Electricity is much more expensive than gas, and an electric heater will be more expensive to run than a serviced, properly functioning central heating system.

 

4. Get your boiler serviced

Which is why having your central heating system serviced and inspected once a year, preferable before winter sets in and you need it more. An inefficient boiler will be expensive to run and runs the risk of breaking down mid-winter, so get it serviced, or if need be, replaced for a newer efficient system.

 

5. Go for a walk/run before work

One of the reasons we feel cold so quickly while working at home is because we are not moving around so much. Getting up and going for a walk or run before work will help get your blood circulation flowing first thing, and will help you feel warmer for a while

 

6. Switch energy supplier

If you’ve been taking all the above steps already, and your bills are still shocking, then it may be wise to look at switching your energy supplier. If you haven’t switched suppliers for years, and maybe you’re on a standard tariff, then it’s likely you’re overpaying by potentially hundreds of pounds a year. Switching costs nothing and can be done in just a few minutes.

If you’re looking for home improvement companies in Hampshire, contact our team today.