Households have been offered some tips on how to save energy and cut their bills as they struggle to meet daily living costs.

USA Today reported recently that home energy bills could reach record levels this winter and families facing debt pressures may find it difficult to cope.

Terry Townsend, former president of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, told the news provider that there are a number of steps households can take to minimize the impact of rising bills.

He advised families to have their heating systems checked to make sure they are working as efficiently as possible and to have their homes examined for energy efficiency to identify possible improvements.

Making sure windows and doors are properly sealed, fitting insulation and controlling temperatures using a thermostat are all effective ways of conserving heat, he explained.

Replacing old electrical appliances with modern, energy efficient ones can also help to keep electricity costs down, he added.

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