Winter is firmly upon us and its chilly outside, but before you reach for the thermostat, here are 5 things that many of us are guilty of doing that could very well be pushing up your winter bills!
You get in from a long day at work and it’s too cold, right? So, you quickly turn the thermostat right up to get things going. In fact, doing this will only heat your home to a warmer temperature and not more quickly at all, using a lot of energy to do so!
It’s very common to think that doing this is more energy efficient than turning your heating on and off or setting a timer to do so. However, leaving your heating on low means that your home is heated when no-one is there, and is then often too cold when you are home.
52% of people responding to an Energy Saving Trust survey said they turned the heating up if it was colder, but you shouldn’t need to do this. Thermostats maintain internal temperature in your home, whatever the weather.
If your hot water tank is properly insulated, water heated for half an hour in the morning should remain warm until midday. Choosing to set your hot water to come on half an hour before you get up is far more energy efficient.
With electricity prices dropping overnight, you might find heating your home during these hours far more beneficial. Wake up to a warm home by setting your electric heaters to turn on while you sleep. These hours may vary depending on your provider.
Windows are one of the largest avenues of heat loss in your home so by drawing your curtains at sundown you will maximise your homes potential to retain a lot of heat. Even better, thermal curtains provide that little bit of extra insulation that helps to prevent heat escaping.
Something as simple as looking at how you arrange your sofa, and making sure it isn’t blocking the radiator, will help when heating your home. If you block your radiator with any item of furniture, heat is absorbed rather than heating a room.
If you’re radiators aren’t as powerful as they once were, it could simply mean that they need bleeding. Radiators containing trapped air are hot at the bottom but cold at the top, meaning that they do not give off as much heat as they could and should be. This can easily done yourself but if you do require some help, it is best to seek help from a heating engineer.
According to Which, updating your boiler could save you up to £340 a year on energy bills, so a new boiler is well worth considering! Find out about new boilers.
See 9 Essential Winter Checks to avoid receiving any unpleasant surprises this winter.