7 tips to reduce your gas bill effectively

Since the beginning of 2021, the markets ofenergy blaze. In a few months, the budget for a home heating with gas jumped by more than 50%. A historic increase. In particular, the economic recovery after the end of the pandemic of Covid-19 and the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, which remains a major supplier to our country.

While environmental considerations and the need to limit our emissions of greenhouse gas have not yet encouraged us very much to reduce our consumption offossil fuels, this energy crisis we are going through could help us find the motivation to take the plunge. To simply reduce our gas bill.

Reduce your bill thanks to eco-gestures

The first tip that comes to mind when it comes to saving energy are all those little eco-gestures that we’ve been told for many years now.

• Hunt for infiltrations ofair thanks to the very simple installation of gaskets Windows or of doors notably ;
• Cover pots to boil water;
• Close the shutters as soon as the outside temperature drops;
• Insulate the heating system piping;
• Clean the burners of the gas cooker with White vinegar ;
• Dust off the radiators and not clutter them;
• Prefer the showers to the baths to save water, but above all, by matterhot water ;
• In the same vein, install a mixer tap in the shower;
• Ventilate the rooms to prevent humidity from setting in;
• Use the diameter of fire the most suitable for the pan;
• Install reflective panels behind the radiators to better reflect the heat towards the room, especially when the walls are poorly insulated.

So many habits to adopt that do not allow substantial savings, but which nevertheless help to control your bill.

Turn down the heating

Heating, on the other hand, accounts for almost half of our energy consumption. And many homes are heated with gas. In 2020, 75% of newly built collective rental housing and 21% of new houses. In total, nearly 11 million homes connected to the fossil gas network in France.

And this is one of the ten points mentioned by the International Energy Agency (IEA) to reduce our consumption: encourage consumers to adjust their thermostat. The operation can pay out all the more as yours is set high. Remember that for living rooms, for example, the comfort temperature put forward by the Code of the construction and the house is 19°C. The French, on the other hand, tend to judge (Opinion Way study, 2016) that a temperature of 20°C is ideal for not being cold. But, in practice, many raise their thermostat beyond that. Even well beyond. If you are one of them, remember that reducing your heating by 1°C reduces your gas consumption by 7 to 8%.

Don’t forget either that maintaining your boiler once a year saves around 10% of energy and thus reduces your bill. Bleeding the system before restarting the heater can also help.

Program your thermostat

Because heating is really a major expense item, another tip can help you reduce your gas bill to this level. The installation of a programming system to control your boiler. Depending on the desired level of comfort, your occupation of the accommodation or your specific needs. Managing your heating system dynamically can save you up to 15% of your consumption, without losing comfort. On the contrary, even.

Choose a heat pump

If, in addition to reducing your bill, you want to do something for the planet, it may be time to consider changing your heating system. Ditto simply if your boiler is more than fifteen years old. This is another recommendation from the IEA: accelerate the replacement of boilers, particularly gas boilers, with heat pumps.

Of course, this trick requires some investment. But you may be able to get help. And, in the long term, it can really help you lower your energy bill.

Insulate your home

Choosing to insulate your home is also an investment. Again, help is available. And again, this is a recommendation from the IEA. If you’re ready to take the leap, start with theattic insulation and your roof. In the case of lost attics, it only costs between 10 and 30 euros per square meter. And it is above all through this that a third of the heat can escape if your insulation lack of efficiency. Plus, it will help keep your home a little cooler in the summer months.

Save hot water

L’hot water accounts for just over 10% of French gas consumption. The savings potential is less than on the heating item, but it is worth dwelling on it all the same. Know that if you are absent for more than three days, it is worth cutting your hot water tank. You can also generally set it to a temperature of around 60°C. This will be both sufficient for your daily use and to prevent the development of bacteria.

Play the competition

Another way to reduce your gas bill today is to bring the competition into play. Some offers may be particularly interesting. You can compare gas offers and inquire with different suppliers to find what meets your expectations. Thus, you will be able to change it free of charge and without cuts.

In this context, be careful to carefully weigh the pros and cons of indexed price contracts — the price of which follows variations in the regulated tariff — and blocked or fixed price contracts — the price of which is set on the day of the subscription for a duration defined. To compensate for the low prices per kilowatt hour, subscriptions are sometimes high. So go hunting for discounts. The savings potential could be around 10%.