As the winter weather approaches Redditch, it’s that time of year again when we find ourselves glancing at the thermostat wondering… will today be the day?! Heating our homes has become a battle in recent years, between keeping warm and saving money.
This year, we’ve gathered some tips from home heating experts to help you find the right balance. You can keep safe and warm, without worrying about sky-high bills. In this article we’ll look at some creative ways to reduce your heating costs, from simple DIY tricks to advanced changes, like using smart technology, to help you heat your home more efficiently.
Why keeping warm is vital
Beyond the comforting aspect of a nice warm home, there are actually health and safety risks to living in a cold property. Maintaining a warm home throughout the cold seasons can help prevent illness, mould growth and damage to your property. Here are a few key reasons to keep your home heated:
- Health benefits:
Cold conditions can be life-threatening for vulnerable people, such as the elderly, young children, and those with pre-existing medical conditions. Adequate heating helps prevent respiratory issues and reduces the risk of cardiovascular problems, which can be made worse by cold temperatures.
- Mould prevention:
Heating plays a significant role in controlling humidity levels within your home. When indoor temperatures are too low, condensation can form on walls and windows, creating an ideal environment for mould growth. By keeping your home warm, you reduce the risk of mould-related health issues and costly property damage.
- Energy efficiency:
Ironically, keeping your home consistently warm can be more energy-efficient than allowing it to cool down completely and then reheating. Modern heating systems work more efficiently when maintaining a steady temperature, rather than constantly cycling on and off to heat a cold house.
Top 10 Home Heating Tips
We know that it’s important to keep our homes warm, so how can we do that without hurling more and more money at the boiler? Below are some of the best tips, researched and approved by home heating experts.
- Draught-proof your home
Pesky gaps and cracks around doors and windows can cause cold air to enter, and warm air to escape. You can prevent this using materials like foam strips, wool seals, and draught excluders.
Doing this can prevent your boiler from working overtime, trying to heat a home full of hot air escape routes. It will keep warmth inside, maintaining a healthy temperature and will directly lower your energy demand – reducing both your heating bills and carbon footprint.
With this simple step, you could save £30 to £60 per year on energy bills.
- Install a heat pump
A bigger change you could consider is to replace a boiler with a heat pump. Heat pumps extract heat from the air or ground and transfer it into your home. They can produce up to three times the amount of heat for every kilowatt of electricity used, making them far more efficient than traditional heating systems.
Due to this, their operating costs are lower, they consume less energy and can significantly reduce your carbon footprint. Upgrading to an air source heat pump from a traditional boiler could save you up to £1,200 annually, depending on factors such as the type of heat pump, energy tariffs, and home condition.
- Turn down your thermostat
Reducing your thermostat temperature by just 1°C requires less energy to heat the home, resulting in lower energy bills. Temperatures between 18°C and 21°C, are considered to be within a healthy range. If you heat your home to much higher than this, then you could benefit from reducing your thermostat temperature.
However, remember that for vulnerable individuals, temperatures should not drop below 18°C during cold periods. This can become a health risk.
If you are able to drop a degree, it could save you between £90 to £145 annually, depending on your home insulation and energy prices.
- Use radiator reflectors
Radiator reflectors insulate the back of the radiator and reflect heat that flows towards the wall back into the room, reducing heat loss. This can increase comfort and improve the effectiveness of your heating – reducing your energy waste.
You can purchase radiator reflectors or panels, from most DIY stores or look online for tutorials to make some yourself using aluminium foil.
You could save up to £20 per year using this technique!
- Insulate your loft and walls
Another larger upgrade to consider would be improving your home’s overall insulation levels. Insulation creates thermal barriers that prevent warm air from escaping in winter and restrict heat from entering in summer, particularly in the loft, where approximately 25% of heat loss occurs.
Benefits include significant savings on energy bills, improved comfort through more stable indoor temperatures, enhanced energy efficiency, and a potential increase in home value.
Insulation can potentially save you up to £415 per year on energy bills.
- Install a smart thermostat
Smart thermostats learn user schedules, allow remote access, and optimize temperature settings. They can detect when the house is empty and adjust the heating accordingly. Choosing a smart thermostat can boost your energy savings by reducing heat waste and increasing your level of control.
There are various models on offer, with features such as app control and learning algorithms – but costs do vary, and some may need professional installation.
Savings with a smart thermostat are predicted to be between £70 to £267 annually.
- Bleed your radiators
This great trick can help you improve the efficiency of your central heating in no time! ‘Bleeding’ a radiator simply means releasing trapped air from within it to allow hot water to circulate more effectively – improving the heat output and reducing your energy consumption.
You can purchase radiator bleeding keys (or simply use a flat-head screwdriver) to complete the task. Just be sure you watch/read a reliable tutorial before you start! (i.e., you must turn off your central heating at least 30 minutes before you attempt this to avoid the risk of burns.)
Bleeding your radiators can save you up to 20% on heating bills.
- Reduce heating flow temperature
Often, many homeowners will be operating a boiler that is set to a temperature much higher than their needs. This can result in energy waste and higher bills.
Lowering the flow temperature at which your boiler heats water (before circulating through the heating system) allows the boiler to operate more efficiently, particularly in condensing mode.
By making some adjustments, you could save around £65 per year on energy bills – keep in mind, however, this may not be suitable for your home/boiler if your temperatures are already set correctly.
- Fit thermal curtains
Another quick and easy way to reduce your heating demands is to use thermal curtains. These work by creating an insulating barrier, trapping warm air inside and preventing cold drafts from entering through windows.
This simple trick can improve comfort due to reduced draughts, reduce reliance on heating and lead to energy savings. They also have added benefits such as noise reduction and enhanced privacy.
You can buy thermal curtains from most major homeware retailers, and they could help you save over £300 per year!
- Regularly service your boiler
Boiler servicing is a crucial part of maintaining a healthy, efficient heating system. Servicing will identify and fix any issues before they can affect your heat output or efficiency.
With a well-operating boiler, you can expect to pay less than if you continue to use an inefficient or broken system. You also ensure your home is safe from potentially dangerous issues (like gas leaks or combustion errors), and you actually increase your boiler’s lifespan.
Depending on the efficiency of the boiler, regular servicing can save you between £75 to £300 per year on energy bills.
Preparing for the colder winter months by making small changes, or adopting larger upgrades, can not only help save you money but also support your whole family’s health and well-being. In addition, many of the tips included here will also contribute to a more sustainable lifestyle, which is great for our environment.
Whether you draught-proof your home or regularly service your boiler, these actions collectively contribute to a more efficient heating system. As energy prices fluctuate, being mindful of how we heat our homes is more important than ever. By following these tips, you can enjoy a warm winter without the worry of soaring energy bills.
Written by Becky Mckay
