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How to save energy and switch supplier this summer
We’ve already had a brief glimpse of summer this year and, if you can believe the weather forecasts, we’re in for a two-week long heatwave, starting this bank holiday weekend.
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But if slapping on the sum cream and sweating it out over the long weekend isn’t your idea of bank holiday bliss, you can at least take some cold comfort in the fact that the longer, warmer days usually mean lower energy bills, as we use less gas and electricity to heat and light our homes.
And if your fixed rate energy deal is up in the next couple of months, a summer switch could knock hundreds of pounds off your winter energy bills.
Why switch energy during the summer?
Daylight Saving Time signals the start of summer, and the lighter nights and warmer weather offer the perfect excuse for energy-savvy households to switch off the central heating – the most frugal of which will keep it switched off right up until the clocks go back again in October.
If you pay your energy bill by Direct Debit, your supplier will most likely spread out your annual payments into 12 equal monthly amounts, which means you can often find yourself in credit during the summer months, when you’ll be using less gas and electricity.
If this is the case, switching supplier during the summer will most likely mean you won’t owe your supplier any money to leave, outside of any early exit fees, and your account might even be in credit, meaning you’ll be in line for a refund.
And fixing the rate you’ll pay for the next 12 months is also the best way to protect yourself against the imminent energy price hikes.
Pop your postcode in the box at the top of the page to run an energy price comparison and see how much you could save.
How to switch energy supplier
How to switch energy supplier with UKPower. Simply enter your postcode and we'll compare energy prices from a range of suppliers. You then choose the one you prefer and we'll take care of the rest.
If your account is in credit, but you’re not sure how to get your money back, check out How to get a refund from your energy supplier.
The summer savings shouldn’t stop there though, and you can save even more money on your gas and electricity bills by checking out our top summertime energy saving tips.
How to save energy during the summer
The summer months can make us do some pretty strange things – crank our car stereos up, sit out in the sun for hours on end, strip down to our waists and wear ¾-length trousers – and a survey from British Gas found that one-in-ten Brits opt to keep cool and save energy by stripping off and walking around the home naked.
You don’t have to forego your clothing to cut your energy bills though – here are our top 10 ways to save energy around the home this summer:
- Hang laundry on a washing line instead of using the dryer.
- Cook meals on the barbecue instead of using the oven.
- Open the curtains to let the sun light and heat your home naturally.
- Take a cool shower instead of a hot bath.
- Ditch the dishwasher and wash the dishes by hand then let them dry naturally.
- Let your hair dry naturally instead of using the hairdryer.
- Cool things down by opening windows instead of using air conditioning units.
- Install a smart meter to track your energy usage and work out where you can make changes.
- Turn off the boiler when it’s not needed.
- Get solar panelled chargers for your devices.
What are your top energy saving tips? Share your thoughts with our energy efficient community on Twitter and Facebook.
Click here to run an energy price comparison, and see if you could be paying less for your gas and electricity.
Les Roberts - Energy Expert at UKPower
If you’ve got an issue with your energy supplier, our consumer champion Les is on hand to help. A decade in consumer affairs means Les understands how confusing energy tariffs can be, so he'll cut through the jargon to help make sure you get the best deal.