{"id":69426,"date":"2023-11-15T20:52:31","date_gmt":"2023-11-15T20:52:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/likecelebwn.com\/?p=69426"},"modified":"2023-11-15T20:52:31","modified_gmt":"2023-11-15T20:52:31","slug":"ive-saved-more-than-600-on-my-energy-bills-with-cheap-woollen-gizmo-it-makes-our-home-much-warmer-the-sun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/likecelebwn.com\/lifestyle\/ive-saved-more-than-600-on-my-energy-bills-with-cheap-woollen-gizmo-it-makes-our-home-much-warmer-the-sun\/","title":{"rendered":"I\u2019ve saved more than \u00a3600 on my energy bills with cheap woollen gizmo – it makes our home much warmer | The Sun"},"content":{"rendered":"
BRITS are facing high\u00a0energy bills\u00a0again this\u00a0winter, but one savvy woman has found an easy way to keep costs down.<\/p>\n
Suzanne Elsworth, who lives in\u00a0Cumbria\u00a0with husband David, has invested in a handful of "Chimney Sheep" to help block her unused chimneys.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
3<\/span>After buying a new home, Suzanne started plugging her chimney draughts one by one<\/span><\/figcaption>3<\/span>The 'Chimney Sheep' range starts from \u00a318<\/span><\/figcaption><\/p>\n
The 50-year-old copywriter told the Sun: \u201cWhen we bought our house, it was a major\u00a0renovation\u00a0project. <\/p>\n
"Every fireplace had been bricked up. There was no\u00a0ventilation\u00a0and the place was streaming with\u00a0damp. <\/p>\n
"We wanted to reinstate the fireplaces, but didn\u2019t want the place to become\u00a0draughty\u00a0and freezing cold."<\/p>\n
Read more on energy bills<\/h2>\n
<\/picture>HELPING HAND <\/span><\/p>\n
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To begin with, Suzanne began by purchasing one Chimney Sheep for \u00a330.<\/p>\n
\u201cI bought one of these woollen gizmos around 12 years ago,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t want to see all our heat heading up the chimney. I tested it in one room and liked the results. <\/p>\n
"It fitted really snugly, and made such a difference in terms of the amount of heat escaping.\u201d<\/p>\n
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After the success of the first "sheep", Suzanne went on to buy two more for their remaining chimneys.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe now have them in all our chimneys,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe only use one of our fireplaces for heating, and the rest are purely decorative.\u201d<\/p>\n
An open chimney flue can be one of the biggest sources of\u00a0heat loss\u00a0in our homes. <\/p>\n
If you don\u2019t use an excluder, your chimney is essentially acting as an open window all year long.<\/p>\n
Suzanne didn\u2019t want to end up overpaying on her bills.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy plugging the passage and saving warm air, we now use less energy to heat our home,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
\u201cNot only is this\u00a0saving us money\u00a0on our energy bills, it\u2019s making our property warmer and cosier, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to the Energy Saving Trust, if you have an open chimney, fitting a draught excluder could save you \u00a365 a year.<\/p>\n
Suzanne said: \u201cWe reckon the three Chimney Sheep have saved us more than \u00a3600 on our energy bills over the past 10 years. <\/p>\n
"That\u2019s a really decent saving for a relatively cheap upfront cost.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Chimney Sheep is made out of coarse Herdwick wool and is breathable. This is important for ventilation.<\/p>\n
Suzanne said: \u201cThe great thing about this product is the fact it allows air to pass through, but keeps the heat in.\u201d<\/p>\n
Prices for a Chimney Sheep start from \u00a318 for a small version, from \u00a330 for a medium, and from \u00a345 for a large. <\/p>\n
With the Chimney Sheep, you will need to buy the right model based on the size of your chimney.<\/p>\n
Alternative "plugs" include the inflatable Chimney Balloon, available on\u00a0Amazon\u00a0from \u00a312.50. <\/p>\n
Elsewhere, there\u2019s also the Chimella, the chimney umbrella, but this is a little more costly, with prices starting from \u00a385.<\/p>\n
With any of these products, you will have to make an initial\u00a0investment, but the payoff is a reduction in bills. <\/p>\n
It should mean you\u2019re not tempted to turn up the\u00a0thermostat. <\/p>\n
As a guide, most households should be comfortable at a temperature of between\u00a018 and 21 degrees Celsius.<\/p>\n
Equally, if you\u2019re looking for a quick way to make savings, turning your thermostat down by just one degree could save you \u00a3100 a year, according to the Energy Saving Trust.<\/p>\n
Some people may be tempted to try\u00a0DIY\u00a0options in their chimney, such as stuffing old pillows or newspaper up the flue. <\/p>\n
But you need to tread very carefully, as this solution is not very durable and can also lead to damp issues.<\/p>\n
At the same time, it\u2019s absolutely crucial you always remember to remove any form of draught-proofing if you do decide to light a\u00a0fire.<\/p>\n
Suzanne said: \u201cThe Chimney Sheep is really easy to take in and out \u2013 plus the handle means you don\u2019t forget it\u2019s there.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Other areas of your home where heat escapes<\/h2>\n
While you\u2019re thinking about blocking your chimney, it\u2019s worth giving some attention to other areas of your home where\u00a0heat may be escaping.<\/p>\n
The reality is, even though the\u00a0energy price cap\u00a0fell from \u00a32,074\u00a0to \u00a31,923\u00a0on October 1, many people are still\u00a0struggling to\u00a0cope with the cost\u00a0of keeping their homes warm.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re worried about energy loss, improving\u00a0insulation\u00a0can save you money in the long run.<\/p>\n
Having wall, floor and roof insulation installed can reduce the amount of energy lost from your home \u2013 and reduce the time it takes for your\u00a0boiler\u00a0to heat and maintain the temperature in your house.<\/p>\n
But as some of these measures can require a big investment upfront, it\u2019s also worth thinking about smaller steps to boost insulation which can be\u00a0done on a small\u00a0budget.<\/p>\n
For example, you can add\u00a0draught excluders to your home without spending a penny. <\/p>\n
Simply place old towels at the bottom of doors, or stuff an old pair of tights full of rags.<\/p>\n
You could also stop draughts creeping in through your\u00a0windows\u00a0and doors by picking up some self-adhesive\u00a0draught-proofing tape. <\/p>\n
You can find this on sale for as little as \u00a35 on Amazon.<\/p>\n
This is a relatively quick and easy\u00a0DIY\u00a0job, but take care not to block up any intentional vents, as these allow essential fresh air into your house.<\/p>\n
Heavier\u00a0curtains\u00a0can work as a great barrier too. Or, for a cheaper alternative, think about buying curtain linings. <\/p>\n
These can help keep the heat in your rooms for longer.\u00a0Dunelm\u00a0is a great place to purchase linings, with lots of options for less than \u00a330.<\/p>\n
Obvious as it may sound, remember to\u00a0close curtains and blinds. <\/p>\n
These will help limit your home\u2019s heat loss, meaning you might not have to spend as much on heating.<\/p>\n
Lots of heat can be lost through your floor, too, so consider buying\u00a0rugs\u00a0to cover up gaps and prevent some warm air from escaping. <\/p>\n
You can get some nice rugs from\u00a0Matalan\u00a0for around \u00a320.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t forget that\u00a0keyholes\u00a0and letterboxes can also let cold air in. <\/p>\n
Invest in metal keyhole covers and a letterbox brush to keep the heat in and the cold air out.<\/p>\n
Suzanne has taken a number of steps to enhance her home\u2019s insulation.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cWe can\u2019t insulate our walls because they\u2019re over a foot thick and made of stone, but we\u2019ve done everything we can to keep the house as warm and efficient as possible. <\/p>\n
"There\u2019s a huge amount of insulation in the\u00a0loft\u00a0and good quality underlay under the carpets and flooring.\u201d<\/p>\n
The property also has\u00a0double glazing\u00a0throughout.<\/p>\n
Suzanne added: \u201cWe\u2019ve got decent draught excluder strips around the big original wooden front door.<\/p>\n
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"But aside from keeping the cold out, I know how important it is to let air in for ventilation. <\/p>\n
"So, if the weather is good, you\u2019ll always find my\u00a0windows open.\u201d<\/p>\n
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3<\/span>![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Chimney_Draught_Stopper_range.webp\")
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