These 3 energy-saving changes made my home warmer this year, and none of them involved turning my thermostat up

Ever since the height of the energy crisis, when the energy price cap was set at more than £4,000 a year for an average household, I have been on a bit of a quest to reduce my energy bills.

I'd tried simple things to save energy at home, like making the switch from incandescent bulbs to energy-saving alternatives, turning lights off when I leave a room and blocking any draughts that let the cold air in and warm air out. I've also been following the Martin Lewis-approved 4pm rule to keep heat in. But I wanted to do more.

And now when I look back, there are three key changes I've made that I think have made the biggest difference to how warm my home feels. That, in turn, means I don't reach for the extra hour button on the heating controls or turn up the thermostat, which results in lower energy bills.

1. I installed radiator reflectors

My house is more than 50 years old, and so it's safe to say that it's not the most energy-efficient. For the first few years I lived here, I regularly nudged the thermostat up a degree or two and put the heating on for an extra hour to keep it warm. But from an energy usage point of view, that was definitely not a habit I wanted to continue, especially when energy prices skyrocketed as we came out of the pandemic.

To combat this, I installed radiator reflectors behind any radiator that sat on an outside wall, and they have been a game-changer. I'm much less likely to knock the heating on for another hour as my house feels warmer for longer. I've also noticed I don't nudge the thermostat up anywhere near as much as I used to before they were installed.

Better still, the reflectors were quick and easy to install, and now that they're sitting behind my radiators, I don't really need to think about them.

2. I used my electric heater strategically

Talking about even the best electric heater in an article about saving energy might seem a little counterproductive, but I think it's how I use it that has made the biggest difference for me.

When it comes to how long I have my heating on each day, it's between four and five hours, but half of those are in the evening when I've finished working. I work from home, so I need to be warm, but I definitely don't want (or need) to have my central heating on all day, heating rooms that I'm not in.

And so when I'm at my desk, I use an electric heater to give me a burst of heat when I need it, and heat the room I'm in, rather than the whole house. There are some days when I don't need it, and other days when I need it more, but it heats up the room quickly, and I don't leave it running longer than I need.

3. I changed my conservatory roof

Changing my conservatory roof from glass panels to a solid, well-insulated structure was a huge investment, but so, so worth it from a comfort (and hopefully energy efficiency) point of view.

Before, my conservatory was completely unusable from about the middle of October until the end of March because it was so cold. For reasons that flummoxed me completely, the previous owners of my house had also removed the doors that should have been between the kitchen diner and the conservatory, and so all of the warmth that was generated just escaped through the roof.

As a temporary measure, I used a thermal curtain between the two spaces, which was surprisingly effective and affordable. But I knew I wanted a permanent solution as soon as possible.

It's my first winter with the new insulated roof so I'm yet to see how this has impacted my bills, but from a comfort perspective, it's definitely been transformative. The whole ground floor of my house is so much warmer, and it's now a usable space year round!

For more tips I swear by, check out my tricks for keeping your energy usage low when you have no choice but to use your tumble dryer.