Switching provider isn't the only way to beat the new electricity and gas hikes, here we go through a range of money-saving tips from turning down your fridge temperatue to insulating your attic.
Bord Gais hiked its prices on October 1. Now the three other of the four providers have followed suit.
The first reaction of most people is to pick up the phone or go online to see if you can switch to a cheaper provider and last week I was here going through exactly this.
But saving money isn’t just, or isn’t always, about switching provider - it’s also about insulation and efficient consumption of gas and electricity.
Last week Tina told Today with Pat Kenny what to look out for when switching provider.
Now, she is back to go through just some simple money saving practices and some things you can buy that will make a difference to your energy bill.
Tariffs up from 12% to 22% this autumn
Standard electricity tariffs were increased by 12% by Bord Gais in August, 12.3% by Airtricity in September and 14.8% by ESB Electric Ireland from October.
Bord Gais’s regulated gas tariff was increased from October 1 by 22%, and all other providers (ESB Electric Ireland, Airtricity and Flogas) have followed suit.
For example, Airtricity has the cheapest option for electricity only, but this is a two-year contract and the rate goes up in the second year. (Based on annual use 5,300kWh / Urban 24hr tariff / exit fee €35 for each year). But if you are a low-ish user Bord Gais would work out cheaper for electricity if you pay by direct debit and use e-billing, because they have a lower standing charge.
When it comes to gas, as Bord Gais’s prices are still regulated by the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER), the other providers peg their rates to that, but provide % ‘discounts’ off the standard rate.
Currently Flogas direct debit option is the cheapest and Bord Gais has the dearest.
All new rates have been uploaded to the energy cost comparison tool on www.bonkers.ie, so can compare prices against your own usage there.
Save money with small changes
So you have to keep switching provider to get the best deal but you can also make some tweaks at home and save money that way.
On average our bills are made up of:
Heating costs - 60%;
Electrical - 25% and
Water heating at 15%.
To save money on heating and you haven’t already done so, the first thing to do is insulate your attic as 30% of heating is lost through the roof.
A €200 grant available from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland and average total cost of insulating a roof on a house is €650.
But there are also some small changes you can employ that will make a difference; some have a small cost and others cost nothing at all
Heating - from letter box to skirting board
Radiator reflector panels
Some of the heat from your radiator will go into the wall behind it so you are literally paying for the heat to go out the wall. But you can buy a radiator panel that fits behind the heater and reflects heat back into the room. You can save between 8% and 15% in energy; up to €150 (maximum) per year.
Cost: Varies depending on pack size. €29.92 for 5 on www.purchase.ie or €42.95 for 10 pack at www.esbstore.ie. (Approx 2 panels required per radiator).
Front door insulation
Stop your heat going out the front door: Put a draught excluder (door brush strip) at the foot of the front door to stop draughts and save on heating, and a similar strip on your letterbox. The strips are screw fitted. They come in a variety of sizes and colours.
Cost: €5.99 (www.doorandwindowseals.com) for a door draught excluder. €5.99 (www.hardwareireland.ie) for a letterbox excluder. And don’t forget the keyhole. Place your hand against it on a cold winter’s night and you’ll feel how much cold air comes in – to replace your expensive hot air.
Window insulation
Even in new houses, and particularly new badly built ones with poorly fitted and cheap glazing, quite a lot of cold air can come in through the gap between the window and the frame. But rolls of draught exclusion tape – this is spongey tape with a stick back that is dead easy to fit and is available at any good hardware.
Chimney balloon
Invented in 1990 in England these save on heating by ensuring there are no draughts from your chimney.
To buy: From €21 (www.chimneyballoon.ie). These are widely available an prices increase by a euro or so depending on size. Make sure it includes an inflation tube.
Insulation at the skirting boards
Cold air can come up through the floor and through the gap with your skirting board.
Buy silicon sealant to plug the gaps (costs under €20)
Thermostat
You should be able to turn down your heating if you’ve followed the steps above. That’s good news as according to the SEAI every degree makes a 10% cost difference when it comes to your heating. Get a thermostat to control the temperature. You can buy mechanical, digital or wireless ones.
Digital thermostat costs approx €50. Wireless thermostat €89.95 on www.esbstore.ie.
Electrical appliances - from fridge to kettle
Fridge / Freezer
Your fridge / freezer is always on and a medium sized one costs approximately €12 per bill. You must make sure it is running at its most efficient or otherwise you’ll pay more.
The freezer temperature should be between -18 and -20 degrees celsius but many are at -26 degrees, costing more. In addition to checking the temperature, make sure to defrost so the freezer won’t have to work harder to maintain the cold temperature.
Another tip: if your fridge / freezer is built-in (with a door covering), make sure that there is enough space around it for air to circulate, as if not it will have to work harder and use more energy to keep cool. If there isn’t enough ventilation you could drill holes in the ‘kick cover’ at the bottom and put in a vent cover.
Check the freezer temperature with a thermostat: £1.44/€1.70 (www.amazon.co.uk) for the cheapest kind.
You save: €7.20 a year on average by maintaining the correct temperature.
Tumble dryer
It costs between 60c and 70c per spin but will cost more if the filter is dirty!
It is recommended to clean the fluff filter (on the door) after each use and on condenser dryers clean the condenser filter every few weeks.
No cost.
Microwave oven v normal oven
Heating food in a conventional oven costs seven times more than heating in a microwave, so use the microwave.
No cost.
Kettles
Boiling six full kettles uses one unit of electricity (approx 18c in cost), so instead just boil the amount you need.
No cost.
Computer
If you have a desk-top computer at home plus speakers, scanner, printer etc, remember NOT to leave them on standby. If you do, for that grouping you’ll have 30 watts of electricity on in the background continually.
No cost.
General
To help with turning appliances off fully, buy an OWL multi socket power saver strip (with individual sockets) for €17.60 so you can take out each plug manually when not in use. For a few euro more you can buy one with a remote control or get one for €30.50 (www.theowlireland.ie), so that you can completely switch off each plug separately via remote control while using others on the same strip.
To check how much electricity you are using at any one time and the associated cost buy an OWL electricity monitor for €37.95 (www.purchase.ie) or one with a USB stick so you can feed your usage details to your computer for €54.95 (www.theowlireland.com). A device is attached (by an electrician) to your mains supply or electricity panel and you have a wireless monitor that reads usage and cost. Seeing is believing – by seeing how much you are using and spending and the cost difference that can occur from making just small changes.
Note: Given development in smart technology, more sophisticated energy monitors are being developed. As soon as next year there will be Apps for Smartphones that will be able to read your usage plus even allow you turn appliances on and off remotely.
Lighting
Ordinary bulbs – banned from production since September 2009 but still in stock, these are cheapest to buy but are the least energy efficient.
Halogen bulbs – 30% energy saving. That translates as an average €5 per year per bulb (based on three hours per day). Cost: €2.99
CFL bulbs - 80% energy saving on ordinary bulbs. This translates as €14 a year. Cost: approx €6.95
Water heating
Lagging jacket
If you don’t have an insulation jacket on your hot water tank you should. This could save you up to €132 per year.
Cost: €16.99 (www.esbstore.ie)
Time switch
Use a time switch to control water heating and ensure it is automatically turned off. If you have one that can be programmed make sure to re-programme regularly depending on your needs / if you’re away etc.
Cost: Simple €40.99 or programmable €56.20 at www.esbstore.ie.
Useful website:
www.seai.ie (Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland)
Useful apps (free):
ESB Electric Ireland appliance calculator (iPhone and Android)
SEAI Home Energy manager (iPhone only)
