Winter is an expensive time, made only worse by the expensive energy bills. In an effort to help our customers save some money, we’ve provided a list of top energy saving tips.
Switch energy supplier
This is a simple solution, but so many people are reluctant to do it because they fear that the switching process is too stressful. However, we’d argue that the process is relatively smooth and you can see just how much you can save on websites like GoCompare and uSwitch. Take a look today; it might just save you £100’s on your annual energy bill.
Boiler service
It’s important to get an annual boiler service. The boiler can be checked with regards to its safety and it can also be checked with regards to its efficiency; is it delivering the results that your money is paying for? If not, a Gas Safe Registered heating engineer can make the necessary changes and get your boiler running up to speed. This is a service that we offer throughout Hunsdon and the surrounding areas.
Home insulation
Loft insulation might seem expensive in the short-term, but if it allows you to reduce the temperature on the thermostat by a degree or two, you’ll recuperate that investment in the long-term.
Close doors
Close the doors of rooms that are not in use and restrict the heat into a smaller area. Whilst you’re there, switch the radiators off, why waste money on heating unused rooms?
Cover the floor
The National Energy Foundation (NEF) found that between 10% and 25% of all heat loss is lost through the ground floor. If you have hard floors, it might be best to purchase some rugs for the winter and add an extra layer of insulation.
Tin foil
Tin foil is a great reflector of heat. Put some behind your radiators and instead of warming your walls, reflect the heat back into your room. You can purchase purpose-built heat reflective foil from the local DIY store or you can use generic kitchen foil, although the results might slightly differ.
Pipe-lagging
Pipe-lagging can be purchased from most local DIY stores. In short, it helps insulate exposed pipes and keep the water inside warmer, for longer.
Curtains
Similar to ground floor heat loss, a significant amount of heat can be lost through the windows. If you have curtains, close them during the night, but remember to open them during sunny days to allow some natural, free sunlight into the home.
Bleed the radiator
If you’ve sensed that your radiators are no longer as efficient as they used to be, try and give them a bleed to release the gas and reduce the number of cold spots. If it works, you’ll no longer need to ramp the temperature up on the thermostat in an effort to squeeze out heat, you can wait for a steady release of heat from the entire radiator instead.
We hope our top tips have helped. In the meantime, if you would to get in touch with anything boiler or heating related this winter, please do not hesitate to do so. You can fill out the contact form on the contact page of our website or you can give us a call on 01279 843798 or 07988 295064. We’ll look forward to hearing from you soon.
