Wickes Talks Saving Energy

With Winter in full swing, the pressure to keep homes warm without sending energy bills soaring is on. This year, home improvement retailer Wickes is sharing simple, low-cost changes that could help save households money, alongside longer-term upgrades that help protect against rising energy prices.

From a little‑known ‘1°C thermostat trick’ to basic draught-proofing and solar panels, Teresa Paul, Category Development Director for Sustainability at Wickes, details how homeowners can be more energy efficient and keep more money in their pockets.

Teresa explains: ‘Most homes are heated to a higher temperature than they actually need to be. Dropping your thermostat by 1°C is a change most people barely notice in terms of feeling cold. It means your boiler is working less, and that quickly helps save over the winter.’

Turning the thermostat down by just one degree can save the average household around £90 a year. While many homes are set higher, a temperature of around 18°C is generally considered suitable for healthy adults.

Other quick wins for energy saving: 

1) Bleeding radiators: a quick win that helps your heating work harder for less. When air gets trapped at the top of radiators, it creates cold spots and prevents hot water from circulating properly, so your boiler has to use more energy to heat the room.

Homeowners can follow the step‑by‑step ‘how to bleed a radiator’ guide on the Wickes website to improve radiator efficiency in just a few minutes.

2) Plug big energy leaks: Doors and windows are some of the main culprits for heat and money escaping the home. Simple draught excluders and rubber seals, starting from around £6, can create an immediate barrier to heat loss. For those who prefer to call in a professional, draught proofing can save around £35 a year on energy bills.

‘Addressing both small and large draughts can make a huge impact on comfort and costs,’ says Teresa. ‘You’re essentially stopping warm air that you’ve already paid to heat from leaking straight outside.’

3) Topping up loft insulation: Up to 25% of a home’s heat can be lost through the roof and around 33% through the walls. Adding rolls of insulation (200mm thickness or more) on top of what’s already there boosts performance and keeps more heat in for longer.

Fitting a hot water cylinder with an insulation jacket can also deliver impressive returns, saving up to £40 a year on bills by helping hot water stay warmer for longer.

4) Turning lights off when you leave a room can save up to £8 a year, and swapping to LED bulbs - ideally with a dimmer switch - helps reduce electricity use and carbon emissions further.

5) Future‑proofing with solar power: For households looking for a more permanent defence against rising energy prices, solar panels can provide long‑term savings by reducing reliance on grid electricity. 

‘While solar requires more upfront investment than a draught excluder or thermostat tweak, you could start to see savings on your electricity in your first year when you switch to solar*’, says Teresa. 

Wickes Solar offers a range of tailored solar panel systems with affordable finance solutions to suit your home and energy use.

‘We can’t say enough about how beneficial switching to solar can be,’ says Teresa. ‘Our experts take care of everything from planning and installation through to aftercare - and all solar panels come with a 25‑year warranty. It’s a way to help lock in long‑term savings while also cutting your carbon footprint.’

Wickes' goal is to help property owners become more energy independent by reducing their reliance on the UK grid in favour of renewable energy sources, Wickes Solar is here to bring you quality solar panel installations at competitive prices.

For more information and a free quote, Check out Wickes solar panels for homes, or for more quick and easy energy-saving solutions explore the interactive Wickes Energy Efficient Home.

Source : Wickes 

Image : Via Wickes

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