Save on your heating bills

With households facing increasing bills for their heating during the energy crisis, you may find it useful to take a look at how you can save energy while still keeping warm and healthy.

You may also find there is help available to make your home warmer. Chelmsford City Council is working with partners to help residents find out about grants that are being offered.

Small changes can make a difference

Various things can be done around the home to ensure that you’re not using more energy than you need to. Check out the Energy Saving Trust and Money Saving Expert. They offer lots of useful tips – such as turning appliances off standby when not in use, not overfilling kettles when boiling water, and filling in any draughts.

There are also practical ways to cut down on your energy use with Energy Saving Tips from Comparethemarket.

Heating a home is one of the biggest uses of domestic energy. It’s important to ensure you stay warm and healthy, but it’s more important than ever to consider ways of reducing heating costs.

The ideal temperature range is between 18°C and 21°C, except for those with a medical condition that requires it to be warmer than this. Temperatures below this begin to increase health risks, while temperatures above it will begin to impact on your energy bills.

Insulation and heating system improvements save money

Having a well-insulated home means that you can stay warmer for less. It also helps the environment, as there will be less heat escaping from the property and needing to be replaced.

Insulating walls, lofts and roofs can make some of the biggest differences for a property, with each measure potentially saving hundreds of pounds per year from energy bills.

Improvement grants offered

While some forms of insulation are expensive, there is currently support available for some eligible households across Chelmsford for free or partially-funded insulation and heating system improvements under different government schemes. The available measures include:

• Insulation
• Heating, excluding gas and oil boilers
• Heating controls
• Ventilation
• Hot water systems
• Solar thermal
• Lighting

Find out if you’re eligible for help

Chelmsford City Council is working with The Energy Saving Trust to help people access government grants to improve their homes.

It only takes one click to register for an assessment or by calling 0808 196 8255, if you meet the eligibility criteria. These are that:

• you have a total household income of less than £30,000 (excluding any disability benefits);
• you are an owner-occupier;
• your home has an EPC rating of D-G;
• you have no mains gas connection.

“

"With winter approaching, it’s an essential time to look at how we can reduce energy consumption around the home. The energy crisis affects everybody but is particularly acute for households on low incomes.

I’m pleased that we can help eligible residents access grants for a range of improvements. These measures have wider benefits too; once insulation is installed it will prevent heat loss for years to come. As well as saving money these improvements all contribute to helping our planet at a time of climate and ecological crisis."

Cllr Rose Moore, Cabinet Member for Greener and Safer Chelmsford

If you have any questions or would like to discuss any elements of this further, please get in touch with our Sustainable Warmth team by email on sustainable.warmth@chelmsford.gov.uk or by calling at 01245 606563.