The gritters are out tonight, and it looks like the weather is going to get a bit chilly. We’ve had a very mild end to 2019, and perhaps thought less about our heating bills, but with the frost on the horizon we thought we’d share some of our favourite tips for saving on your heating bills.
1. They reckon, if you turn your thermostat down by just 1 degree, you’ll save on average £75 over a year. There’s also been some changes to the “recommended” room temperature too, with WHO suggesting 18 degrees is fine for suitably dressed, healthy adults. Bit chilly for us mind.
2. Insulation really is key, otherwise you are chucking your money out of the windows. Drafty doors? Loose window? Poor insulation in the roof? There are lots of aspects you can look at to try and improve how well your house keeps the heat.
3. We’ve got fond memories of draft excluders as children, it felt like every room had one. But they are super effective – and these days you can buy them in so many different colours and patterns that the just become a piece of useful decor.
4. During the winter months, heavy curtains will help keep the cold out of your rooms – the cold from outside will make your windows cold, but if you have heavy curtains then you’ll be stopping the cold right there and then.
5. If you’re anything like us, you’ll try and hold out as long as possible before putting the heating on. That’s putting on some extra layers and even using a hot water bottle. If you manage to warm yourself up, you’re less likely to feel the cold than by getting bone cold and trying to warm up.
6. Service your boiler and radiators for maximum efficiency. If your radiators need bleeding, they’ll be struggling to push out the heat, and likewise with your boiler, if it’s not on top form then the system as a whole will suffer. We recommend you have your boiler serviced every year.
7. Do you shop around for an energy provider? Well it’s a great way of cutting on bills, and especially with winter on the way. There are loads of really useful comparison sites online, meaning you can compare unit and day charge rates, and get yourself the best deal.