Is it getting cold in the house? Find out how to save on your energy bills

With winter approaching, the colder temperatures are already starting to be felt, especially at home. For those who telework, this is even more evident, as Portugal is ranked as the 4th country in the European Union with the worst thermal insulation conditions, according to Eurostat.

In the same analysis, 20% of Portuguese admit that they are unable to heat their homes in winter and that they have great difficulty paying their electricity bills during the coldest months of the year.

With this in mind, Selectra, the electricity and gas tariff comparison company, has put together some tips for increasing energy efficiency in homes, so that you can face the colder temperatures without your electricity bill skyrocketing.

1. Maintain an even temperature throughout the house, around 21ºC. To do this, you should avoid turning on electric heaters at very high temperatures and always set the thermostat to the same temperature. In this way, you'll save money and make efficient use of energy.
2. Invest in double glazing. Most air leaks occur through the windows. It is therefore recommended that, before buying any appliances to heat the house, you invest in double glazing for the windows to ensure that no heat is lost.
3. Turn the thermostat down or off at night. In this case, the idea is to give the heater a rest when you go to sleep, as well as when you're not at home. However, if you find that the house cools down very quickly if you don't have a heater on, instead of turning it off, lower its temperature to 15 ºC. This way, you maintain the temperature but reduce consumption.
4. Put timers on electrical sockets. For those who have a bi-hourly energy tariff, this tip can be useful as it allows you to program your heaters to run only during off-peak hours (10pm-8pm), where you enjoy cheaper electricity prices. Even so, the tip is also useful for those on a simple tariff, as it doesn't allow the heating to be on for too many hours.
5. Installation of solar panels. It's another investment that can be worth making, as it will save you money in the long run. Although we have more hours of sunshine during the summer, solar panels are still a good option during the shorter days of winter, because they perform their function just as well and help the bills to balance out, without major increases in the electricity bill.
6. Contracting dual energy tariffs (electricity and gas). When you contract your electricity and gas services with the same supplier, you tend to get better discounts and better contractual conditions than if you contract the services individually. For this reason, you should consider whether this option is better for your wallet.
7. Analyze the winter discounts offered by commercial companies. This is because several suppliers, knowing that electricity bills tend to rise during the winter, offer discounts during the colder months. The ideal thing is to analyze these discounts and sign up for the one that best suits your needs, so that you can save money during this season.