Pictures from a thermal imaging camera show the difference in heat lost through the windows (red areas) from a house before (left) and after (right) new windows were fitted.

If those supposed green shoots of economic recovery we keep hearing about are yet to start blooming around your front door, you're probably still seeking ways of not only saving money but of also getting the very best value for the money you do spend. So, what if you knew that hundreds of pounds were seeping through your fingers every year?

If your house is uninsulated, 18% of the energy you're paying for is being lost through the windows. So if you've still got inefficient single glazing you are, quite literally, throwing money out of the window.

And it's not just money your windows could be wasting either; energy efficient windows also reduce emissions from homes by up to 10% – so replacing your old ones will also help you to do your bit for the environment.

All windows are energy rated in the same way as white goods, with a scale from A (the most energy efficient) to G (the least). The Energy Savings Trust recommends that all homes should have windows rated C or higher but most still have windows that are rated much lower than this – wasting energy and money on a daily basis.

But replacing all the windows in your home is a costly procedure, and one you probably don't feel like you can afford in the midst of a recession. Anglian Windows believe that you should be able to upgrade your windows to a more energy and cost efficient model without having to worry about the initial outlay of cash.

To help people do this, they are supporting the Glass and Glazing Federation, petitioning the government to institute a scheme for scrapping your old windows in return for a saving on your new ones – much like the highly successful car scrappage scheme that started in May this year.

Melanie Russell, head of marketing and communications at Anglian Home Improvements says: "Consumers would save £1,000 and improve the look of their homes, along with lower fuel bills and more energy efficient households. And the government would benefit from reduced emissions from the existing housing stock helping it to meet the necessary greenhouse gas emissions targets."

In the meantime, Anglian Windows have already started their own scrappage scheme. For all orders placed from 14 October this year Anglian will give customers a rebate of as much as £2,000 for their old windows as well as a discount of up to 35% off their new ones. The level of rebate and discount depends on how much you spend on your new windows but even those who only spend £5,000 will receive a rebate of £1,000 and a discount of 25%.

What's more, all Anglian casement windows have an energy rating of B as standard. This is the second highest rating of energy efficiency, and is higher than both the building regulations minimum rating and the energy saving trust's recommended rating. Installing Anglian windows not only improves the energy efficiency of your home, reduces your carbon emissions and keeps your comfort zone toasty warm – it will also save you money.

Anglian Windows carried out a test on a semi-detached house in Frinton-on-Sea, Essex, in September of this year. Before replacing the old single glazed wooden windows, a thermographic image of the house was taken which showed significant heat loss through all the windows. But after the old windows had been replaced with Anglian B-rated casement windows, heat loss was only detected from under the eaves and none of the windows were seen to be losing any heat. What's more, the house owner, D Winter was able to detect an immediate improvement: "The difference is very noticeable. Since having the windows fitted and despite it becoming rather autumnal I still have not had to have the heating on".

Depending on whether you use oil, electricity or gas for your heating, stemming the flow of heat from your home by upgrading your windows could save you as much as £512 a year. (Savings calculated from Glass and Glazing Federation and based on total window area of 12.51m.) And this is an ongoing saving – you could recoup the cost of the windows in just a few years.

Anglian Windows take energy efficiency in the home seriously. If you want to follow their lead, and save yourself some money in the process, show your support for the proposed windows scrappage scheme by adding your name to the petition.

For more information on the Anglian Windows scrappage scheme and to get a no-obligation quote visit www.anglianhome.co.uk. Enquiring online will even save you an additional £150 so the question is not can you afford to replace your windows, but can you afford not to?

www.guardian.co.uk