As we head into the new year, there’s one particular subject that’s on everyone’s minds: the rising costs of energy. From electricity to gas and heating, households across the UK and the world are affected by a sharp rise in the cost of living.
This winter, more than ever, households will feel the financial pinch as these new prices take hold. However, if you don’t want to be faced with an extortionate bill in Spring, there are many ways to reduce your heating bills using these easy tricks at home.
Be conscious about how much you’re using your heating
The first most obvious step is to monitor how much you are using your heating and see if there’s a way to reduce it. All heaters come fixed with a timer which can be used to switch your heating on and off automatically at certain hours. For instance, set your timer so your heaters go off during the day when you’re at work and turn on again an hour or so before you arrive home.
Be mindful of the temperature too. Heating for short, intense blasts works out more expensive than having the heating on for longer at a lower temperature.
Install plenty of insulation around the house
Insulation is the key to keeping heat in your house. Luckily, there are lots of easy ways to improve the insulation all over your house using things you already have at home. Start with your windows as they are the most likely to allow cold air in if they are not sealed properly. Buy some easy-to-apply foam that you can stick around the frame for added insulation.
Then, place door stoppers around the house to keep the warm air from escaping the rooms and add some heavy curtains that will keep the cold air from entering the rooms.
Check your heating system for efficiency
Old heating systems tend to be inefficient, meaning that the amount of energy you use doesn’t produce the maximum amount of heat. If you find that your radiators are not getting hot enough, call an expert to take a look at your heating system.
It could also be that your boiler needs an upgrade, your pipes need new insulation, and the plumbing system needs to be improved for higher efficiency. It might cost a lot to replace an important piece of equipment, but it will save you money on heating bills in the long run.
Other kinds of insulation
Insulating your house properly sometimes isn’t as simple as putting some draught stoppers in front of all the doors. If important parts of your house, like the loft or walls, aren’t properly insulated, you could be losing a huge amount of heat without realising it. Like a new boiler, this is an initially expensive thing to fix that soon saves you lots of money on heating bills.