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10 ways to save on your home heating bill
The cold season is upon us and the heating is coming on. How can we keep our home heating costs down and our house safe?
1. The more you spend, the more you save
Make sure to get your boiler checked and serviced once a year. A dirty and inefficient boiler can increase gas consumption by up to 30%. Get a qualified engineer from an approved company or an installer registered with the producer to do this.
2. Keep temperatures no higher than 20°C
Aside from the fact that an excessively warm home is not good for your health, your home heating bill rises by 7-8% for each degree above 20°C. It’s a good idea to install devices to control the temperature in all heated rooms (for example, thermostatic radiator valves or thermostats).
3. Set heating times
Also set temperatures. Use electronic devices such as thermostats with weekly programmes.
4. Don’t enclose radiators in casings or covers
Air needs to pass freely around your radiators for them to work properly. It may be a good idea to put some reflecting panels behind your radiators.
5. Install systems that stop limescale formation
This builds up in pipes and equipment.
6. Insulate
Do this properly for all pipes carrying hot water around the house.
7. Bleed radiators and pipes to remove air
To increase the efficiency of your central heating. If you have old radiators that don’t have a suitable valve you should think about installing one: it increases efficiency and savings.
8. Control water temperature
Keep the temperature at which hot water goes to your taps at no more than 45°C.
9. If you have to install a new boiler or heating system
Make sure you get good advice from a recommended professional: the amount your central heating consumes will depend on a correct and balanced choice of all its components and equipment (boiler, radiators, hot water temperature, pipe insulation, control systems, positioning of radiators and radiant panels, subdivision of home into areas with different heating needs and separate programming, building insulation). Make sure you don’t get a boiler that’s bigger than you need because it will end up burning more fuel than necessary.
10. Learn how to measure how much energy you consume
It’s good to read your gas metre regularly in order to see how much you consume in summer and how much in winter. You should make a note of how much gas you consume on your service record.
Read the article on Behind Energy
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