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Winter has barely begun, and the loss of temperature is set to get worse. There’s not much you can do about that. However, there are some genuinely easy methods to lower your heating bills across your home to save money during one of the most expensive times in living memory.
Lower the Flow Rate Temperature
You may have heard of the flow rate. This is the amount of water that goes through your system in a given period of time. For example, your bathroom sink faucets might have a flow rate of 0.5 gallons per hour. But this water also needs to be heated. When it comes to heating, flow rate temperature is important. This is because, on many combi heating systems, it is set too high and costs you a lot more. It is recommended you set your flow rate temperature to 50OC.
Program Your Thermostat to Lower Your Heating Bills
You may or may not know that you can save around 12% on your heating costs by lowering your thermostat by just a single degree. However, if you have the ability to program your thermostat, then you should. By doing this, you can control when your heating comes on and goes off. So, you won’t waste money unnecessarily. A good tip is to set it to come on an hour before you get up for work and half an hour before you get home, so it’s not on all day.
Use Draft Excluders
Some people say these don’t work, and others swear by them. However, all you need to know is they can’t hurt. Most of the heat loss in your home is caused by drafts. Drafts occur from cold air coming in through small spaces. These are often under doors and around your window frames. Simple draft excluders can help prevent this heat loss. They work by keeping warm air inside a room, meaning you don’t need to heat it as long, and you will stay warmer for longer.
Heat Yourself, Not Your Home
If you really want to save money, you can consider heating yourself rather than the entire home. There are a few things you can do, and most of them cost very little or nothing at all. These are:
- Wearing layers such as a t-shirt, sweater and cardigan.
- Using a space heater near your location.
- Warming your bedroom with electric blankets.
- Wearing thermal clothing to warm your extremities.
- Using longer clothing, such as a robe, to keep your legs warm.
It costs nothing to layer up, and for many people, this can be enough to stay warm at home. However, cheap gadgets like electric blankets can make a huge difference to your comfort.
Turn Off Unused Heaters
You could be wasting money by heating rooms you don’t actually use. If you have adjustable knobs in your individual radiators, then shut them off in rooms you aren’t using. Otherwise, heated water, which costs money, is going to these. You can turn these off completely. Or you can turn them down to keep the chill out of a room. And make sure you close the doors of any rooms you aren’t heating to help stop the cold air from coming into your warmer areas.
Lower Your Heating Bills with Radiator Panels
These are other controversial items that can help keep your home warmer. Some people don’t see much of a difference. While studies have found they can work wonders in some homes. Nobody really knows why, but it probably has something to do with your home’s insulation properties and other variables. You simply buy good-quality radiator foil and insert it behind your heaters. The idea is that it prevents cold air from external walls from escaping to the outside.
Don’t Use Standby Settings
Finally, although not related to heating, using standby on your electronic items will increase your electricity bill. Some products can use almost as much energy when on standby as when they are being used and switched on. While they are convenient, standby settings are not electricity friendly. So always switch the electronics off by the socket switch. Don’t unplug things you need, or they might reset their settings to factory defaults. TiVo and Sky TV boxes are good examples.
Summary
Your heating bills are probably a top priority right now as the cold sets in and prices are out of control. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to lower your bills. Set the flow rate temperature in your heater, heat yourself rather than your home and try not to use standby.
