Home Energy Scotland: Turn up the heat, turn down your bills

With fuel bills rising again in 2017 it has never been more important to look at your energy provider and see what changes you can make, as we report here.

And this winter, the Scottish Government’s Home Energy Scotland campaign is helping householders to work out ways they can not only save money, but make their homes warmer too.

From interest-free loans and grants of up to 25 per cent of the cost if energy-efficiency imrovements, to advice on how to switch energy provider the hassle-free way, home Energy Scotland has already been supporting people across Scotland this winter. It is all part of the Scottish Government’s seven-year Warmer Homes Scotland initiative, to help tackle fuel poverty with a £224 million fund.

By calling the Home Energy Scotland hotline 0808 808 2282 or seeking out more information online, you could get all the advice and help that you need to make a real difference to your household bills – and make your home more energy-efficient – this year. And individual householders can get a free ‘green assessment’ that will help to identify the most suitable home improvements to feel a big difference.

See the Scottish Government’s Big Info Spot below to find out more:

And here are top tips from Home Energy Scotland to make your home warmer:

• Did you know that by turning down your home thermostat by just 1°C can help cut your annual heating bill by 8%? Great news for your bank balance and the environment.
• Fitting a thermostat can help maintain the temperature of a room, hot water cylinder or boiler while not wasting excess energy.
• Insulation keeps the heat in your home and making sure your home is properly insulated is a great way to save energy, money and do your bit for the environment.
• By topping up your loft insulation to the recommended 270mm you could save up to £35 a year in heating costs.
• If you don’t have loft insulation adding it could save you up to £140 per year.
• Insulate your hot water tank to keep your water hot for longer. By insulating your hot and cold water pipes you can make sure your water runs at the right temperature more quickly. Pipe and tank insulation is cheap and you can do it yourself.
• Wall insulation can really help keep the heat in your home – it also doesn’t cost much and can be really effective in helping cut your energy use which is great news for your bank balance and the environment. Cavity wall insulation could save you around £160 per year off your heating bills.
• Wind whistling through the living room? Draught proofing is an easy and cost-effective way to reduce heat loss, with most materials available from DIY stores.
• Did you know that heat can also be lost through the floor? Insulating under the floorboards on your ground floor will save you up to £55 a year, and you can seal the gaps between floors and skirting boards to reduce draughts too.