Sheffield property: Here are 6 clever ways to help keep the energy bills down during the colder months

In fact, searches for “home insulation” have seen a 112 per cent increase in the past 12 months.

With this in mind and after the news revealing Ofgem’s price cap is set to make bills rise by £139 every year experts have revealed six ways to help homeowners make their properties more efficient.

With energy-saving hacks starting from as little as £3, there are plenty of options to help improve the efficiency of your home and lower expensive bills.

We teamed up experts from GTSE, an international group focused on DIY and trade supplies, for these tips:

1 Invest in a good quality boiler

Although investing in an energy efficient boiler can be very costly if it’s something you can afford to do to your home it is more than worth doing. Installing an A-rated boiler can save you about £315 every year, meaning that a boiler costing £800-£1000 will have basically paid for itself within just two and a half years.

2 Maximise heat from radiators

Installing radiator foils behind your radiators helps keep more heat in the home by reflecting the warmth back in the room, instead of escaping through the walls. This hack can cost as little as £7. Studies have shown that using certain types of radiator foils can save you up to £4.02 per radiator[2], depending on the type of property you have.

3 Reinforce your windows’ insulation

Windows account for a whopping 25 per cent of heat loss in homes, so they should be considered as a priority to well-insulate and in turn, keep homes warm through winter. Beyond opting for double glazing, you can buy window insulation kits for £3 which can help as an easy, simple way to keep more heat inside and those bills down.

4 Unique ways to reduce water consumption

Although there are plenty of basic ways to reduce water consumption just through your daily routine, such as turning off the taps when brushing your teeth or just spending less time in the shower, there are also some budget-friendly improvements you can make to your home to help reduce how much water you use. You can invest in water saving showerheads, prices can vary for these, but they start from around £12 per head.

5 Draw your curtains

Using thick, insulating curtains, and drawing them as soon as the evening comes in, can help keep the heat in, especially if you have drafty windows. Although not as budget-friendly, these types of curtains can also be picked up for about £50. According to researchers at the University of Salford, drawing your curtains in an evening reduces heat loss by up to 17 per cent.

6 Draft-proof your home

Use spray foam which can act as an air sealant, as well as an insulator. Places you can often add the foam to are air ducts, doors, windows, your attic, and pipe inlets.

Insulation tape is another great way to reinforce airtight windows or make draftier ones for efficiency.