UK households handed £1,210 each for making six changes to home

Heat loss could be sending your energy costs skyrocketing ahead of the new October 1 price cap, which will see the cap hiked to £1717.

Six areas of the home that lose the most energy could be costing you up to £1,210 a year. Heat loss could be sending your energy costs skyrocketing ahead of the new October 1 price cap, which will see the cap hiked to £1717.

Research by E.ON showed 35 per cent of heat and energy is lost through the building's walls, 25 per cent from its roof, 10 per cent from windows and doors, 15 per cent from draughts and 15 per cent from floors, according to energy experts Power to Switch.

A spokesperson for the Energy Saving Trust said: “Draughts allow warm air to escape and cold air to enter, making your heating system work harder. Installing inexpensive draught-proofing strips on windows and doors is a quick and easy DIY task that could save you around £35 annually on energy bills.

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"If you have an open chimney then you can use a chimney draught excluder to block this whenever you’re not using it, saving £50 a year. To find draughts, run your hand around windows, doors and skirting boards. If you feel cool air, you likely have a draught that can be sealed with caulk, brushes, strips, or other DIY materials.

"But be careful not to block ventilation, including air bricks or trickle vents, especially in high moisture areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, or damp rooms.” When it comes to roofs, households who pay for loft insulation could save £340 if they are detached homes.

Insulating solid walls could provide energy savings of up to £500 a year, while cavity wall insulation could save you £370 a year. Insulating windows could save £120, while reducing draughts through draught-proofing could hand you £250 in detached homes.

The Energy Saving Trust said that simple measures such as fitting a hot water jacket on your cylinder could save you £35 a year in energy costs.