7 ways to make your home more energy efficient

Even a very small gap around a window frame or under a door can let cold air in and warm air out – and you can make some improvements quickly and cheaply. Lay draught excluders, or even rolled up blankets, along the bottom of doorways. Check that your letterbox closes fully or replace it with a heavier one that won’t be rattled by the wind. You can also caulk to improve the seal around your window frames.

Turning your thermostat down by just one degree could save you up to £80 a year, according to the Energy Saving Trust.

Installing or making use of a smart meter can also help you reduce bills. Smart meters can learn your habits and make sure you aren’t heating rooms you’re not using. They can also be controlled by your phone, handy if you want to make a quick change.

Most of our gadgets, like your kettle, TV, and chargers, have a standby mode that leaves them using a small amount of power, even when they’re switched off. Turn your appliances off at the plug when you’re not using them and you could save an average of £35 a year, according to the Energy Saving Trust.

Some windows, especially old, single-glazed ones, can let out a lot of heat. Replacing them with double or triple-glazed windows can help you save on your monthly bills. It’s a big investment short term that can pay off over the years. Your home will be quieter too.

Small changes to your habits may add up over the course of a year, such as only filling the kettle with as much water as you need, or spending just one minute less in the shower.

If you’re cooking, your slow cooker, air fryer and microwave may be more energy efficient alternatives to using the oven or stovetop.

According to the Energy Saving Trust, popping a load of washing on at 30 degrees – or even a cold cycle – could use 40% less energy than running it at 40 degrees. If you use a tumble dryer, run your spin cycle on the highest setting to cut down how long you need to use the dryer for.

LED bulbs use far less energy than the traditional halogen kind and can last for up to 10 years. An EU-wide ban on producing and selling halogen bulbs came into place back in 2018, but some shops are still selling old stock. It’s well worth checking whether you’ve made the switch around your home – you could save a few pounds each year for every bulb changed, according to the Energy Saving Trust.

Check for leaks or corroded parts that are making your boiler less efficient than it should be. A yearly service helps your boiler last longer and can let you know whether you might be able to save by replacing an inefficient model with a newer, A-rated one.

When boilers break down you might be facing more than a cold shower, and the unexpected bills can be costly. You could add Home Emergency Cover as an optional extra at an additional cost to your Tesco Bank Home Insurance Policy and offers 24-hour cover for a range of emergency situations, like urgent boiler repairs.

Monetary limits, excesses and exclusions apply.

Home Emergency Cover is underwritten by Inter Partner Assistance SA UK Branch.

You'll find complete details of the cover, monetary limits, exclusions, excesses and terms in our policy documents.

The content on this page aims to offer an informative introduction to the subject matter but does not constitute expert financial advice specific to your own situation. All facts and figures were correct at time of publication and were compiled using a range of sources.