Savvy homeowner shows how they shaved £50 off energy bill using A4 paper hack

06 January 2023 , 12:13

1007     0

A sheet of A4 paper can help save you £50 on energy bills (Image: YorkshireLive)

A homeowner used a piece of A4 paper to cut down on energy bills as they continue to soar.

People are using anything and everything to cut costs and squeezing what they can out of what they are already paying for.

But one savvy homeowner spent just £50 and instantly made her house warmer.

The method reduced the amount spent on heating and instantly made their house 3C warmer.

YorkshireLive reports their house would get as cold as 14C in the cold and would 'barely get up to 17C' after heating was on for three hours.

Shop prices 'are yet to peak and will remain high' as inflation hits new heights

But, taking to the UKPersonalFinance subreddit, u/epicmindwarp told how they managed to improve home temperatures by spending £50 testing door and window frames for breezy drafts with a piece of A4 paper.

Using draft excluders can help reduce energy costs (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The poster said: "My house has always been cold, and given the energy situation we've had to adjust our daily routines to not bankrupt ourselves this winter.

"I decided to pay close attention to the cold areas of my passage and noticed that there was a very gentle breeze around the edges of my windows and door frames.

"After some checking, I quickly realised that the PVC rubber seals had got so stiff from age, they weren't doing their job - so a 1mm gap would form between the stiff seal and the PVC instead of being sealed - allowing cold air to pass in.

(Getty Images/iStockphoto)

"To test if you have a gap in the seal, slide a piece of paper between the seal and the frame/door. If paper can easily get through, then air can get through.

"I bought new rubber seals to replace the existing ones, each one took around 10 to 15 mins each to replace, and that evening instantly felt the passageway was warmer then before.

"It's currently 2C outside and I've run the heating once today. Assuming the cold weather holds, I could make that money back in a week..

"The first step in saving money is cutting costs, so finding the source of drafts and sorting that out has made a huge difference all round."

The Mirror reported yesterday how a national "war effort" mobilisation is needed to speed up the transition from fossil fuels, insulate homes and tackle soaring energy costs, MPs warn today.

To test if you have a gap in the window seal, use a piece of paper (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

In a cross-party report, the Commons Environmental Audit Committee said the UK remains dependent on oil, gas, and coal for 78% of its energy needs.

8 money changes coming in February including Universal Credit and passport fees

This dependence, it warned, has left the UK exposed to the biggest global fossil fuel price shock since the 1970s after Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine.

While welcoming the Government's temporary cap on the average household energy bill, the report claimed there are "significant gaps" in No10's strategy.

Alex Evans