It’s cold outside, and that means you’re probably spending a lot more energy keeping your home warm than you would ideally like to. Not to worry, though! You can keep the cost of heating your home down to a minimum with these top tips.
Insulate your home
Insulating your home is one of the most efficient ways of keeping your home warm whilst reducing your energy bills. Without insulation, heat produced in your home is lost which means your heating appliance has to keep on working to maintain the temperature in the home, costing you money.
There’s many different parts of the home which can be insulated to minimise heat loss including cavity wall insulation and loft insulation. Even water tanks and pipes can be insulated to help prevent them from losing heat.
Replacing windows with double or even triple-glazed alternatives will also help to keep your home insulated.
Whilst insulating may cost more initially, you’ll reap the benefits and savings later on. You can also check with your government as you may be entitled to a grant to insulate your property.
Set your thermostat to a lower temperature in the winter
Lowering your thermostat in the winter can save you money on your energy bill. If you set your thermostat to a lower temperature, your boiler will not have to work as hard to heat your home, and you will save energy.
Installing a programmable thermostat allows you to set the temperature according to your needs. For example, you can set the thermostat to warm up your house before you get up in the morning and you can turn the temperature down a few hours before you go to bed. A programmable thermostat can help you save money on your energy bills by allowing you to programme the thermostat to turn off when you are not home. If you work consistent hours, such as 9am -5pm, then you can programme it to warm the house ready for your arrival home after a hard day’s work.
Close off any unused rooms in your home
If you’re not using a room, close it off. This will help you conserve energy and keep your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. Close off any rooms that are not used on a regular basis by closing the door or using a door stop to keep the door closed. You can also close off vents in unused rooms to help keep the air in the room from circulating to other parts of the house.
Another thing to consider is draught excluders. A draught excluder is a simple way to stop heat from leaving your home. If you have a door that doesn’t have a seal, a draught excluder will stop any drafts from getting in. Draught excluders are inexpensive and easy to install. If you have a door that doesn’t have a seal or if it doesn’t shut all the way, a draught excluder will solve this problem and save you a lot of money on your energy bills!
Use a space heater in specific rooms
Space heaters are a great way to heat up a specific room without having to turn on the central heating system. This can be especially helpful if you only need to heat up one room, such as a bedroom, and you don’t want to waste energy heating up the entire house. Space heaters come in a variety of different shapes and sizes, so be sure to choose one that is the right size for the room you want to heat. Additionally, be sure to place the space heater in a safe place where it will not be in the way and will be able to provide the heat to the room unobstructed.
Dress appropriately for the weather
Dress appropriately for the weather. In the winter, wear warm clothing that will keep you toasty rather than dressing like its the height of summer.
By dressing snugly in winter with thicker clothing, such as a sweatshirt or hoodie, you won’t need to rely on the heating as much to keep you warm. A blanket or fluffy dressing gown can also make all the difference when cuddling up on the sofa at night.
Be the first to comment