If you own a property you will likely be liable for the costs. Therefore like most homeowners you will always be looking for ways to cut energy bills. If you are a snowbird homeowner and leave home in the Winter, a live in housesitter can be hugely beneficial. Read on to learn some top tips for how to apply some simple techniques on a daily basis to reduce your energy outgoings and costs.

Cut Energy Bills With These 6 Tips And Tricks

Energy bills too often come in the form of unexpected surprises, not pleasant ones. It can be difficult to stay on top of energy bills with many appliances still only having an “on” and “off” switch, particularly in the winter months.

There are a few easy changes that can be made that will help lower your energy bills. They don’t make your life any harder and can be made quickly and without hassle.

Smart Meter

A great way to cut back on your energy bills is to stay on top of your consumption. If you know that you are overusing you will be able to tighten up your usage where possible.  Often the problem isn’t people not knowing how to cut back on energy, it’s that they don’t know that they have been over budget in the first place.

Smart meters are easy to install – and are usually done so free of cost by energy providers – and give customers an accurate measurement of their monthly use. With a smart meter, you can keep a record of your energy usage and ensure that you’re staying within your budget.

Adjustable Equipment

A lot of the equipment in your home that uses energy has simple on and off switches which can be incredibly wasteful. Leading suppliers such as Trade Radiators (https://www.traderadiators.com/) offer adjustable add ons that allow you to use as much energy as you need out of your equipment and no more.

If you are able to heat your home with a radiator that’s only using half of its power that’s going to save a lot of money when the bills come in.

Don’t Overfill Your Kettle

One that sounds like it makes little to no difference, but really adds up, is overfilling your kettle.

The more water there is in the kettle, the longer it takes for the water to boil. If you are overfilling your kettle several times each day it really adds more costs to your monthly bills.

By using less water to fill your kettle you can cut energy bills significantly.

If you’re guilty of this and make morning brew just for yourself then fill your kettle to the minimum requirement, it’ll be cheaper and faster too.

Switch Off At Night

If devices are left on standby at night they are still using energy.

Although it’s less than they would usually use it is still going to cost more than it would if the devices were off.

At night before bed, it’s always wise to check all of your devices that may be on standby and switch them off at the wall.

Standby uses less energy, but you could be using no energy at all!

Repaint

If it is time to redecorate, think about using satin or semi-gloss paint for your walls. Surprising though it may be this is a way to cut energy bills. Satin or gloss walls reflect light easier than other paint types. As a result they will save you a surprising amount on your electricity.

During the evening hours, your walls will be able to reflect that little extra bit of daylight. They will take up to an hour off the regular daily use of electric lights. And when it is time to turn the lights on use lower wattage bulbs. Because your walls are more reflective less powerful bulbs will work well.

Double Glazing & Insulation

So this one isn’t exactly easy, but it is an investment that could take hundreds of pounds off your annual bill. If you don’t already have it make sure to upgrade to double glazing windows and high-quality insulation.

Managing vacant property efficiently

Find housesitters

When you are leaving your home to go on holiday, resist the urge to leave all the lights on while you are away. This can be very expensive and waste energy especially if you are on holiday for several weeks at a time. Naturally, you will be concerned about the security of your home and property. A better way to manage the security of your home and the energy bills is to find housesitters. Join a housesitting website to find live in housesitters who will guard your home.

Free sitters – Yes, free housesitters!

If you choose the right sitters from a professionally run website you can also find free housesitters. These sitters will move into your home as live in house and petsitters. So they can also offer petsitting to look after any resident pets. They will pay their own way and care for your home and pets as if they were their own. The people who choose to do this are often retired or semi retired folk who like to travel and have active holidays. They exchange their time and services for free accommodation. It’s a fair exchange. And in this way you can find free housesitters. Plus they offer added advantages…

Snowbird home protection

If you live in the Northern Hemisphere and your home must cope in very cold weather in Winter housesitters can help. Regular Snowbirds who leave for sunnier climes in the Winter months know the value of live in housesitters. They can manage your property and the snow gathering outside your front door. They also will be present to manage any accidental situation cause by extreme weather conditions in your absence. Housesitters can be a real God-send in your absence.

Garden sitters help eliminate signs of an empty property

One real giveaway sign of an empty property is a neglected garden. Your housesitters can also act as garden sitters to help you maintain the condition of your garden so that opportunists do not think it is abandoned and therefore worth breaking in.

Plant sitters

Finding these garden sitters to act as plant sitters will also help you nurture your plants in your absence. This will not only maintain your plants saving any money you had spent in costly nurseries, but it also means you can return to a well ordered garden, thriving rather than parched, overgrown or neglected.

A final note on how to cut energy bills

If your home is better equipped to trap heat you won’t have to worry about using radiators all night. You can heat the place up, and then it will stay heated throughout the night.

HANDY REFERENCES ABOUT REAL ESTATE AND MAINTAINING PROPERTY

At Housesitmatch.com we like to offer useful and practical articles on topics for our readers. In this selection we offer you a number of suitable pieces from our own blog on renovating and maintaining a home.

Maintaining a sustainable lifestyle at home

Switching to solar – The big benefits

Ideas to help you establish a new home quickly

Housesitters keep pets safe at home and save money

What a housesitter does – Top 10 responsibilities