None of us will have escaped the news that the cost of living is on the rise. Reports suggest we are facing the biggest income squeeze in around 50 years.

The Resolution Foundation has estimated that income for a typical household will fall by around £1,000 this year, the biggest drop since the mid 1970s.

In light of this, we are all looking for ways to reduce our bills and save some money.

One of the ways we can do this is to make sure our homes are as energy-efficient as possible.

Secondary glazing has proved to be a great way of reducing energy bills in historic properties.

The old frames and thin glass in these properties can often lead to draughts, but installing secondary glazing can help achieve thermal efficiency savings of up to 60%.

Our magnetic system helps create a thermal break, preventing cold transferring from the primary glazing and our glazing has undergone thorough testing to compare thermal performance before and after installation. We use toughened safety glass as standard, but thermal efficiency can be improved further by using Pilkington K Glass, which has a hard coating to reflect heat back into the room.

We also make sure our measurements are accurate to ensure glazing fits perfectly, ensuring there are no gaps to allow draughts through.

Here are our top five tips for cutting down your energy use:

1 – INSULATION

There are many areas of a home that would benefit from insulation, and this can make a huge different to energy bills. Uninsulated homes can lose a third of their heat through the walls. You will need to check on the construction of your home to choose the right method of insulation but there are options for most houses. Up to 15 per cent of heat loss can also be through the floor, so floors should be insulated. Roof and loft insulation should also be investigated and you should also look into hot water cylinder and pipe insulation. As an extra touch, you can add reflective panels behind radiators to throw the heat back into the room and avoid it escaping through walls.

2 – DRAUGHT-PROOFING

Controlled ventilation is important in homes to stop damp and condensation, but if it’s uncontrolled, it’s just costing you money. Draughts and gaps should all be dealt with. Seal around doors, letter boxes, and keyholes – anywhere that cold air gets in and heat gets out when you don’t want it to.

3 – LIGHTING

Get energy-efficient bulbs. LED bulbs may be more expensive initially, but they use much less energy and last longer than traditional bulbs.

4 – UNPLUG ALL UNNECESSARY ELECTRICAL ITEMS

Don’t leave things on standby and switch off plugs. Even chargers left plugged in can drain energy – it’s a minute amount, but if you have several items plugged in it all adds up.

5 – UPGRADE YOUR WINDOWS

Windows, particularly those in older properties, can be a huge culprit when it comes to heat loss and higher energy bills. The aging frames and thin glass in these older properties can often lead to draughts but installing secondary glazing can help achieve thermal efficiency savings of up to 60%. Storm’s secondary glazing units are installed using a magnetic system which helps create a thermal break. This prevents cold transferring from the primary glazing, meaning heat is retained indoors. Our glazing has also undergone thorough testing to compare thermal performance before and after installation. The figures clearly show an improvement. We use toughened safety glass as standard, but thermal efficiency can be improved further by using Pilkington K Glass, which has a hard coating to reflect heat back into the room. Our experts also measure with extreme precision to make sure all measurements are accurate and the glazing fits perfectly. This means there are no gaps to allow draughts through, again leading to a warmer and more energy-efficient property.

These are just a few steps that can be taken to save money on your heating bills. Some involve an initial investment, but it’s one that will pay for itself in the long term.

To find out more about the benefits of our secondary glazing units, please click here.