FEEL THE HEAT
I cut my energy bills by £130 with a clever contraption – it makes our home much warmer and I really feel it
Watch our video to find out how she did it
SAVVY mum Becky Russell has cut her energy bills by £130 a year by using a cheap woollen contraption.
The 42-year-old mum-of-two lives in a three-bed semi in Surrey with her husband, Graham, and their children aged six and nine.
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She an avid DIY-er who is renovating her whole home on a budget, posting her tips and hacks on Instagram ().
Two years ago, Becky spent £27 on a ‘Chimney Sheep,’ a gizmo which blocks up a fireplace that is no longer in use.
Since then, she has been feeling the benefits.
Not only is her home warmer and cosier, she’s also making savings on her heating bills.
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An open fireplace can be a major source of heat loss.
However, by installing an excluder you can prevent warm air from escaping.
This will help you lower your energy bills by reducing the need for prolonged use of your central heating.
Becky told The Sun: “When we bought our house, it was pretty-well insulated for the most part, but I was fed up with seeing so much heat disappear straight up the chimney.
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"Thankfully this nifty little gizmo helps block up the flue and keep out the draughts.”
According to figures from the Energy Saving Trust, if you have an open chimney, you could save £65 a year by fitting an excluder.
Simple energy saving tips
What you need to remember with a product such as this, is that you will need to make an initial investment.
But, having done this, over time, the payoff should then be lower bills.
“We reckon the ‘sheep’ has already helped us save at least £130,” said Becky. “That’s a pretty decent saving given the upfront cost.”
Prior to investing in the ‘sheep,’ the resourceful mum had tried to deal with the draught problem using a DIY fix.
“I had been stuffing pillows up the chimney,” she said. “But this is not a good idea.
"Pillows suck moisture out of a room, and they can get mouldy.”
For the energy-saving mum, the Chimney Sheep is a far better solution.
“These gizmos are really simple to install and fit really snugly,” she said. “They are made from a natural breathable wool.”
This is really important for ventilation.
“The ‘sheep’ allows air to pass through, but keeps the heat in,” said Becky.
“This woollen excluder really has made quite a difference – we no longer feel the cold.
We also no longer have to deal with debris falling down the chimney.”
Another good thing about excluders such as these is the fact they are not permanent.
If you do have a working fireplace, they are like a ‘plug’ that you can take in and out at your convenience.
“We’ve lived in this house for eight years and have never used our fireplace,” said Becky.
“We were quoted around £3,000 by a tradesman to get the fire to function, so I think it’s unlikely we’ll ever end up getting it working.
That said, it’s good to know that should we ever need to remove the sheep, it’s simple to do so by pulling on the little handle attached.”
In addition, there’s also a ‘toggle’ which extends even further.
Becky said: “This hangs down to act as a visual reminder that the sheep is there – so you don’t start a fire by mistake.
"It’s imperative you remember to take out any form of draught-proofing first.”
Prices for a ‘small’ start from £20. Larger models will cost more.
4 ways to keep your energy bills low
Laura Court-Jones, Small Business Editor at Bionic shared her tips.
1. Turn your heating down by one degree
You probably won't even notice this tiny temperature difference, but what you will notice is a saving on your energy bills as a result. Just taking your thermostat down a notch is a quick way to start saving fast. This one small action only takes seconds to carry out and could potentially slash your heating bills by £171.70.
2. Switch appliances and lights off
It sounds simple, but fully turning off appliances and lights that are not in use can reduce your energy bills, especially in winter. Turning off lights and appliances when they are not in use, can save you up to £20 a year on your energy bills
3. Install a smart meter
Smart meters are a great way to keep control over your energy use, largely because they allow you to see where and when your gas and electricity is being used.
4. Consider switching energy supplier
No matter how happy you are with your current energy supplier, they may not be providing you with the best deals, especially if you've let a fixed-rate contract expire without arranging a new one. If you haven't browsed any alternative tariffs lately, then you may not be aware that there are better options out there.
What are the alternatives?
You can find other ‘excluders’ for your flue, such as the inflatable Chimney Balloon costing from around £17 at Screwfix.
Elsewhere, there’s the Chimella, a chimney ‘umbrella’ but this does cost more, with the cheapest models starting from £95.
Like Becky, you may be tempted to attempt a DIY fix, such as stuffing pillows or newspaper up the flue.
But such ‘fixes’ can lead to damp issues. They are also not likely to be a long-term solution.
Becky's other simple energy-saving hacks
Blocking her chimney with an excluder is not the only step Becky has taken to try and bring down her energy bills.
“There are decent savings to be made by investing in a water tank jacket to insulate your boiler,” she said.
“This will ensure the water you’ve heated stays hot.”
Becky has produced a video giving details of this, as .
You can find jackets at B&Q starting from around £22.
This could potentially save you £200 a year on your bills.
The DIY whizz also recommends addressing any draughts coming in through doors and windows.
“You can use weatherstripping to seal any gaps,” she said.
“Caulk is another cost-effective way to keep draughts at bay.”
Caulk is also on sale at B&Q for £1.50.
Becky added: “At the same time, if you have gaps in the floorboards, you can get bits of wood, known as ‘floorboard slivers’ to hammer into these.”
Another of the savvy mum’s top tips is to close the door to rooms you rarely use.
She said: “This concentrates the heat in the parts of the house you frequent the most.
"It’s also worth investing in heavy curtains for external doors, and draught excluders to go at the bottom of your doors.”
Becky suggests making your radiators work more efficiently by placing reflective panels behind them.
She said: “These reflect heat back into the room, rather than allowing it to escape through the walls.”
At Screwfix, you can get a roll of radiator foil for less than £8.
“I’d also suggest lowering your thermostat by one degree,” adds the savvy mum.
“This will reduce your bills without you really noticing this tiny difference in temperature.”
Becky added: “While individual tweaks and changes might not seem to reduce your bills a great deal, a few small changes can make your home a lot more energy efficient.
"All these little things can add up to meaningful savings on your gas and electricity costs, potentially saving you hundreds of pounds a year.”
Further to this, Becky says she is also a big fan of "heating the person, not the space."
She said: “My dad has bought a heated body warmer, socks and a heated electric throw from Amazon.
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"When he’s wearing these, he doesn’t need to put the heating on.
"This is something definitely worth trying.”
What energy bill help is available?
There's a number of different ways to get help paying your energy bills if you're struggling to get by.
If you fall into debt, you can always approach your supplier to see if they can put you on a repayment plan before putting you on a prepayment meter.
This involves paying off what you owe in instalments over a set period.
If your supplier offers you a repayment plan you don't think you can afford, speak to them again to see if you can negotiate a better deal.
Several energy firms have schemes available to customers struggling to cover their bills.
But eligibility criteria vary depending on the supplier and the amount you can get depends on your financial circumstances.
For example, British Gas or Scottish Gas customers struggling to pay their energy bills can get grants worth up to £2,000.
British Gas also offers help via its British Gas Energy Trust and Individuals Family Fund.
You don't need to be a British Gas customer to apply for the second fund.
EDF, E.ON, Octopus Energy and Scottish Power all offer grants to struggling customers too.
Thousands of vulnerable households are missing out on extra help and protections by not signing up to the Priority Services Register (PSR).
The service helps support vulnerable households, such as those who are elderly or ill.
Some of the perks include being given advance warning of blackouts, free gas safety checks and extra support if you're struggling.
Get in touch with your energy firm to see if you can apply.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
Plus, you can join our Facebook group to share your tips and stories
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