Ways to Reduce Your Park Home Energy Costs

Park homes, especially those that are more than 10 years old, can be less energy efficient and not as well insulated as other types of properties, meaning energy bills can be a major expense for park homeowners. With a predicted 83% rise in energy costs expected in October, we want to share with you some of the ways in which you can help to reduce your costs at home.

Get your home insulated

If your home has less than 10 inches of insulation, it may be time to add more. By doing so, you could see up to a 30% reduction in your energy bills.

Install energy-efficient windows

This can significantly reduce the amount of heat that escapes from your home as energy-efficient windows are made with glass that helps to reflect heat back into your home. Although a costly exercise, this could save you a lot of money in the long run.

Programme your thermostat

Set the temperature to automatically lower when you’re not at home to reduce costs and lower consumption. Keeping your heating ticking over, will prevent your home from becoming cold, which will in turn take longer to reheat.

Block drafts and air leaks

Block drafts from cracks and gaps in walls, or around windows and doors, using weather-stripping or caulk. Installing door sweeps on your exterior doors will also prevent drafts and escape of heat.

Only heat rooms you are using

Turn off radiators in rooms that aren’t in use and turn your thermostat down by just 1 degree to see a decrease in energy consumption.

Switch off lights when you leave a room

Using low wattage, energy saving bulbs can also help you to see a decrease in energy consumption.

Don’t leave your appliances on standby

Around 30% of energy in homes is wasted each year. By leaving household appliances on standby, you could potentially be adding up to £429 onto an annual electricity bill. Comparison site MoneySuperMarket found the most expensive household items to leave on standby over one year, as follows:

1. Digital TV box (left on) - £36.91

1. Multi-room speakers (in idle mode) - £27.52

1. Router (left on) - £7.51

1. Microwave (left on) - £4.53

1. Digital clock (left on) - £2.56

1. TV (on standby) - £1.72

1. Coffee maker (left on) - £1.68

1. Phone charger (plugged in, not charging) - £0.37

Save water

Use a washing up bowl to wash your dishes, rather than filling your kitchen sink. Reducing the time of your washing cycles, taking showers instead of baths and turning the shower off while you wash are also good for saving water.

To help with the ongoing energy crisis, the Government has confirmed people living in park homes will be eligible for the equivalent of a £400 package to help with energy bills. The £400 discount will be paid to customers over a six-month period, starting from October 2022, to help with heating costs throughout the winter. The package was expanded to include people who do not have a domestic electricity meter or a direct relationship with an energy supplier, such as people living in residential parks. Households will see a discount of £66 applied to their energy bills in October and November. This will then rise to £67 each month from December until March 2023. Read the full report here.

Further information on the Government energy bill support screen can be found here.