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3 Ways to Heat your Home and Save Money

Heat your Home and Save Money

Everyone wants to save money on their heating bills, but not at the cost of reduced comfort through short term techniques. There’s only so long you can sit in the house with no heating, wearing all of the jumpers you own and hugging a hot water bottle.

There are 3 simple ways to reduce your heating bill without relying on extreme alternatives. These suggestions all involve altering your existing central heating system.

#1 ‘Stepdown’ your Thermostat
Overheating you home is a common reason for an excessive heating bill and is something that can be easily rectified.

Reducing the temperature by just 1 degree could save you up to 10% on your heating per year which could equate to as much as £65. The typical range in efficient heating can range between 18 C-21 degrees, so see how low you can turn yours down and still feel warm.

Thermostats allow you to have complete control over your central heating system. You can also configure the heating through your thermostat to control each room independently.

What thermostats can you use?
Room thermostats – These should only be used in the coldest rooms in the house as they measure the air temperature. Once the temperature drops too low, the heating is switched on to achieve optimum heat, and then shuts off.
Programmable Room Thermostats – This is a room thermostat and central heating programmer. The controls for both time and temperature can be controlled from just one unit. These thermostats can be used for heating and hot water independently of one another.

#2 Check Your Radiator Efficiency
Radiators are common place in the household as they are connected to your central heating system to produce heat. However, the efficiency of your radiator depends greatly on its location in the room and the size needed for successful heating.

The least energy efficient place to have your radiator can be under the window as up to 1/3 of heat could be lost through the window. Radiators can also inefficiently heat a room because heat is lost in the wall it is mounted upon. The easiest solution for this is to use radiator foil which reflects heat back into the room.

If you are looking to purchase new radiators to update a room or you’re installing central heating for the first time then use the Heating Calculator. This tool will generate a choice of styles and provide the most efficient radiator for a specific space.

Try installing a TRV to your radiators if they are not already connected to a room thermostat. The valve lets you control the temperature of individual radiators, the higher the valve number, the hotter the radiator.

#3 Get Your Boiler Checked
It is very important to have your boiler cleaned with water treatment chemicals and serviced by a professional annually to get the best efficiency from your heating. You could save up to 15% on your gas bills by doing so.

An inefficient boiler could lose you up to £150 per year on heating costs. The average life span of a standard boiler can range from 10-15 years, meaning an inefficient boiler could cost you £1500-£2,250 in heating during its lifetime.

The cylinder thermostat keeps a constant check on the water temperature in the hot water cylinder. A technique you can do yourself to save money is to ensure that the cylinder thermostat is set to 60 degrees. The thermostat will switch the boiler on and off in order to maintain the required water temperature that you have set. When the desired temperature is reached the boiler will rest, so the lower the temperature the less energy is used.

Know your boiler basics:
Combi boiler – This is the most popular boiler available as it is a compact and efficient unit for the average household whilst also guaranteeing significant savings in running and installation costs. Combi boilers do not store domestic hot water but heats the water directly from the cold water mains. This not only reduces hot water costs but also saves space.
Regular boiler – These work as ‘heating only’ systems, so they require a separate hot water cylinder which stores large amounts of household water. These boilers are ideal for use in larger households and are also recommended if you have a power shower.

Try using a Boiler Buying Guide to help you find the perfect replacement boiler to suit your home and central heating requirements.

With these tips you can enjoy a warm house this winter and save some money too. There’s now nothing stopping you staying in and enjoying a cosy night in, and there’s no hot water bottle in sight. Heat your Home and Save Money

 

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