As a business owner, do you find that your utility bills dramatically increase during the cold winter months? Here are some simple energy saving tips, that can help you to remain energy efficient during winter and ultimately keep those utility bills low.

Heating

During the winter it is highly important that your business premises remains at a comfortable temperature during business hours, however, there are several ways which you can ensure this does not lead to wasted energy:

• Use a timer to preheat your premises prior to working hours, to ensure a comfortable heating level.
• Do not overheat your premises; by reducing the temperature on the thermostat by 1 degree you can considerably reduce your business’s heating bill.
• Check the settings on the thermostat and thermostatic radiator valves.
• Make sure doors and windows remain closed when there is heating on.
• Check that there isn’t any furniture or equipment blocking heating sources, such as heaters and radiators.
• Don’t heat your premises when it isn’t being used, and don’t heat areas that aren’t used regularly.
• Get your boiler serviced regularly; to ensure it is working efficiently.

It is often the case that a business will need to invest in energy efficient equipment before they can see a saving in their energy usage. By insulating your hot water boiler and pipes you can save energy and reduce the risk of your pipes bursting in the winter months. Likewise, insulating your roof and wall cavities will help reduce the amount of energy your business wastes. The best way to improve your energy usage is to replace an older boiler for a newer, A-rated, energy efficient boiler; although this may seem like a large investment to make, in the long run it will significantly reduce your bills.

Lighting and Equipment

With the arrival of winter, the days will not only become colder, they will grow darker and shorter too. As a result, lighting the workplace will become a necessity. Here are some energy saving tips, to help reduce the amount of electricity your business uses this winter:

• Switch off lighting prior to leaving your premises.
• Ensure that lighting is switched off in areas that are not used regularly, such as corridors.
• Make sure all equipment is switched off – not left on standby – when not in use.
• Fit energy efficient light bulbs.
• Only use equipment when necessary and if possible during off-peak hours.
• Consider updating old equipment for newer, energy efficient alternatives.
• Ensure that taps are not dripping or running when not in use.
• When boiling water, do not heat more than is necessary.

There are also some additional measures that you can take to help reduce the overall cost of your winter utility bills, these are:

• Ensure you provide your supplier with accurate meter readings on time, to eliminate the risk of paying higher estimated bills.
• Pay via Direct Debit, if your supplier offers a discount for this.
• Create an energy saving strategy for all your employees to follow, which includes reminders to switch off lighting, heating and electrical equipment.
• Ensure that you are on the best energy tariff for your business’s needs. To compare energy prices for your business click here.