74% of homeowners now rank the energy efficiency of their home with greater importance amidst the cost-of-living crisis, with many of them making home improvements in order to help cut their energy bills, according to recent research by Help me Fix.
Help me Fix surveyed over 1,000 UK homeowners that have purchased their home within the past six months and found that over half of respondents (53%) stated that a home’s energy efficiency rating was an important consideration during their search.
The research also confirms that over 78% of homeowners feel their home could be more energy efficient with 77% claiming that they made a conscious effort to improve their home’s energy efficiency.
Ettan Bazil, CEO and founder of Help me Fix, said: “Many households will find themselves stuck between a rock and a hard place at present, keen to upgrade their home to make it more energy efficient, but unable to cover the cost of doing so with our household finances currently spread thin due to the cost-of-living crisis.
“But while a new boiler or double glazing is an expensive way to cut energy costs, there are a number of smaller, more affordable endeavours that can help cut your energy bills.”
The research revealed that the most common attempts to reduce energy bills has been simply turning off appliances at the plug when not in use.
Additionally, the use of energy effective light bulbs also ranked high, while many have also opted to service their boiler to ensure it is running as best it can.
The installation of a smart meter was also a popular way to reduce energy consumption, as was reducing draft areas within the home.
As a result of these minor improvements, a heartening 56% of respondents claimed to see a reduction in their energy bills as a result.
Bazil advised: “Energy suppliers are currently obliged to swap you to a smart meter, and this is a great way of better managing your energy output.
“It’s also completely free to ensure you avoid leaving electrical appliances on standby and turn everything off at the plug when not in use.
“You can also look to upgrade your appliances to more energy efficient ones for a marginal cost, as well as the bulbs throughout your home.
“Every little helps in this respect and these small changes will make a difference.
“Finally, try and locate any drought areas within your home, even if it’s a makeshift solution using a thick blanket to block the space underneath doors, for example.
“In doing so, you’ll ensure the warmth stays within your home and you can reduce the energy used heating it.”
