Saving On Heating Bills This Winter

The cost of living is ever rising, whether it’s housing costs, gas and electricity bills, getting the right nutrients or getting around day to day. Unfortunately across the world, wages are not following this trend and are more stagnant than ever, making it a struggle for even two full-time professionals to cover everything while saving and investing for the future. This has made people more desperate than ever to save on their bills where they can, reducing costs and getting a bit more money in the emergency fund.

To help you get ahead, we have put together the following guide on where to save on your heating bills this winter, without resigning yourself to living beneath a jumble of clothing layers and huddling together like penguins for a slither of warmth;

Do A Property Health Check

Your home is your first defense against the cold and damp external weather and provides a roof and shelter for you and your family. Always carry out a general health check of your property between seasons, in particular paying careful attention to any home systems you have that might not be used throughout the year and only require turning on during the hotter or colder months (such as your heating and air conditioning systems). Keeping your home maintained prevents costly repairs and renovations caused due to low or no maintenance, especially when looking at holes in the ceiling or walls that can lead to infestations and damp.

Close Off Unused Rooms

We aren’t suggesting you brick up the rooms that don’t get much use such as a dining room or guest room. But simply turning down the TRV (thermostatic radiator valve) closing the curtains (especially overnight) and shutting the door to unused rooms can stop your heating system working overtime to keep the whole house as a large space warm and cozy. This is particularly important for large spaces that may not have dedicated radiators, such as the basement and attic, that can be great sources of heat loss in your property. If you have a basement that you can close access to but cold air still comes up through the floor, consider investing in basement tanking. This involves a professional damp company coming in and waterproof sealing the basement, preventing damp and making the space more suitable for general use.

Update and Maintain Your Heating System

Ideally this should be part of your property health check but it’s easy to forget that your heating system should be maintained annually to ensure it is always working at its most efficient. Talk to your local gas or heating engineer and call them out to perform a yearly service on your boiler, this time of year (autumn) they shouldn’t be too busy but you’ll want to get in quick before the temperatures drop further. You’ll also want to ensure your heating system is up to date and has all the mod-cons to make it work at its best including insulation for external pipes, lagging jacket for water cylinders and magnetic filters to remove impurities in the water.

You can also add further up to date technology to your heating system for greater control including smart TRVs and smart thermostats. These allow you to connect to your heating system on a smart device or tablet via Wi-Fi or internet connection and turn your heating on or off from outside your home, adjust the temperature and even create schedules around your daily habits. Some smart thermostats come with additional features, so research your options thoroughly before committing to a smart heating system investment.

Your home is important and deserves to be looked after with care. Regular maintenance and a combination of good habits can make all the difference to your heating and energy bills so start getting into good practice today and make savings for tomorrow and beyond.