Bill Ranson

As utilities throughout the U.S. propose rate increases of as much as 70 percent, many homeowners are looking for ways to lower their energy bills. Simple steps such as home sealing can lower a home’s heating and cooling costs by up to 20 percent, saving homeowners hundreds of pounds.

“Having an energy-efficient home is just as important in the summer as it is in the winter. Home sealing is a simple way to keep cool air in, stay comfortable, and reduce energy bills,” says Steve Baden, Executive Director of the Residential Energy Services Network, a non-profit energy efficiency organization. “One of the first steps homeowners should consider is properly sealing the home. Air leaking through gaps and cracks can add up to as much airflow as an open window, and an air conditioner is one of the largest summer energy expenditures.”

Sealing the home with silicone sealants limits the costly escape of cool air from air-conditioned environments. A typical home can be sealed with four tubes of GE Silicone II, meaning that 20 could save a homeowner hundreds of pounds in energy costs.

GE offers a variety of silicone and acrylic home sealing solutions that can help a homeowner have a tighter, more energy efficient home. Jeff Davis, General Manager of GE Sealants & Adhesives, recommends a premium silicone sealant for summer home sealing.

“Silicone sealants provide homes with an air and water-tight seal that creates the highest level of efficiency and protection against the elements,” says Davis. “And because of its unmatched durability and adhesion, homeowners only have to seal a home once with silicone.”

Many people are trying to reduce their monthly outgoings, as it is getting harder to make ends meet due to the continuing recession.Reducing your electricity and gas bills is one of the most effective ways to save money. This is because energy costs represent a significant chunk of anyone’s pay cheque.

There are numerous ways to cut the amount of money you spend on energy. One of the first things you should do is work out if your current gas supplier offers value for money. You can do this by contacting the various providers that operate in your area. Alternatively, you can use a price comparison site, which takes a lot of the hassle out of finding low-priced gas.

The payment plan you are on also has an effect on your energy bills. The options include fixed plans, which make things much simpler by fixing the price of each unit, social plans – for more vulnerable consumers – and capped plans. This means the price of gas won’t rise above a certain level, although it may fall if wholesale gas prices are cut.

And it isn’t just residential users that can reduce their energy costs. Business energy plans are available for companies that want to cut the cost of commercial gas use.

There are other ways to save money, however.

Every time you receive your gas bill, you should check the meter to ensure you have been billed accurately. Many companies base your bills either on an estimate of your usage or a standard charge. If you have used less than the estimate, make sure you let your energy supplier know.

By switching to an Internet payment plan, you could see your bills come down by as much as 10 per cent. As long as you are willing to manage your account online, this can result in significant savings. You may also want to consider a dual fuel plan. Getting gas and electricity from the same company cuts administration costs and could bring your bill down. Be sure to check if you will save money though, as it isn’t always the case.

Of course, the most obvious way to save money on energy is to use electricity and gas more efficiently.
You can do this by making sure your house is well insulated throughout, and has double glazing installed. This means less heat will escape from your home and consequently your gas bills will fall.

You can save money on electricity and gas by following a few simple steps. Switching energy supplier is a quick and easy way to reduce your bills.

Economy 7 is called “Economy 7″ because for seven hours every night your electricity will cost a lot less then the standard daytime rate. The actual timings of the seven hours during the night vary depending on the region you are located in and your energy supplier.

With an Economy 7 tariff you need to be very careful with regards to managing the tariff well as bad management can cause your electricity to cost you a lot more then a standard energy tariff. Why is this? Well, the reason is that during the day it is a lot more expensive then night time hours to use your electrical appliances. It is therefore not suitable for everyone but could appeal to those who use less power during the day – for example shift workers who would be happy to use their washing machine at 2:00 am in the morning.

If you can manage to use your energy well and at the right times the biggest advantage of Economy 7 is that by using electricity during the night instead of the day can reduce your bills by a lot. In fact, savings of up to 200 in a year can be made.

If you want to switch your households energy from Economy 7 to a standard tariff you can use energy comparison sites to find out what the cheapest deal is if you compare rates. However, if you are already on an Economy 7 tariff you can find the best price by comparing Economy 7 tariffs and you can again switch supplier by using an energy comparison site.