January 17th, 2022 by Sarah Miles

Unless you’re on a fixed rate energy tariff, you will most likely find that your gas bill will rise over the coming months and even if you are, that deal won’t last forever, and the energy crisis will likely be an issue for quite some time to come.

The increase in the cost of energy is down to a few factors coming together at the same time. Individually, they would have caused a temporary increase, but the perfect storm of the combination has created a huge problem across the globe.

The causes of the energy crisis

The main factors that have pushed the price of gas up are many. Individually, these problems might not add up to much, but all together they’ve created a serious situation.

• A colder than average winter last year depleted gas stockpiles
• Covid-19 lockdowns that forced more people to stay at home over the winter and increase energy consumption
• The economy started to reopen after lockdowns, causing a sudden spike in demand as businesses went back to work
• Lower than average wind-generated power produced during a calm summer, meaning we’re more reliant on gas
• Worker shortages and disruptions to freight transport

Such a combination of factors means we’re going to be in this for a while. Therefore, we all need to seriously consider what action we can all take to help ease the issue, and that means reducing our own consumption.

Reducing your energy consumption to take the pressure off supply

Reducing your energy consumption will help take some of the pressure off, plus there is the very tangible benefit of keeping your bills at a manageable level. So, how can you do this without having to make big investments in insulation, double glazing, or renewable energy heating systems?

Sweet Dreams Electric Heated Grey XL Throw

Price: £69.98

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There are a number of smaller things you can do to reduce usage, such as keeping doors closed, smart heating systems, turning the thermostat down a few degrees etc but have you ever considered the energy benefits of an electric blanket? You may associate electric blankets with something the older generation uses but this unassuming household item can actually make a big difference. Here’s why:

Using electric blankets and heated throws to reduce energy consumption

There’s much more to an electric blanket than something to throw on your bed at the height of winter when you really think about it:

Heat yourself, not the room

Central heating is such a blunt tool. Thinking about it logically, it’s incredibly wasteful to heat a whole room rather than the individuals in it. An electric blanket on the bed or a heated throw on the sofa applies the heat directly to you rather than warming all the air in the space. Because it’s direct heat to you, you will feel the benefit with much less heat generated. You can use it as an alternative to central heating or turn the heating to very low levels to keep the chill from the room.

Targeted control

You can be even more precise than you might think with an electric blanket. Many models are equipped with timers to determine when heat comes on and goes off. They have zones so you can just warm your feet or have the two sides at different temperatures for couples who like different levels of warmth. They also have very responsive thermostats so you can change the temperature levels very efficiently throughout use.

Glamhaus Double Size Luxury Quilted Fitted Electric Blanket

Price: £85.00

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Electricity, not gas

The heating crisis revolves around gas prices and supply. While gas is required to produce electricity, it’s still more readily available than gas and not subject to quite the same price increases. An electric blanket or heated throw obviously runs on electricity rather than gas so this can significantly reduce gas usage.

Cheap to buy, cheap to run

Running costs are an important consideration when looking to reduce bills, after all, there’s no point switching from gas to electricity only to find the electricity bill is sky-high. Electric blankets are very economical to run, costing just pennies to have on all night (you probably wouldn’t need them on this long). Unlike other big energy-saving investments that can take a long time break-even in terms of cost reduction, you can buy a good quality electric blanket for less than £80 so you will find you recoup that in a matter of months, if not weeks.