Saving Money on Energy Bills When the Temperatures Drop

With the long and warm summer the UK had this year, the chilly months are going to feel particular cold in comparison and everyone is going to feel the temptation to turn on the heating soon enough. Before the extra layers aren’t cutting it and you’re concerned about the extra cost on your heating bills this year, consider these tips to get your home winter-ready and better able to keep out the cold weather.

Boiler Service

If you haven’t had your boiler serviced this year, make sure to contact your local heating engineer and get a visit booked in before their calendars fill up with winter breakdowns and emergency call-outs. Without yearly maintenance your heating system can struggle when coming back into use during the colder season, especially if it hasn’t been used for a while. A visit and tune-up from a qualified engineer protects your central heating against experiencing a breakdown and ensures the system works to maximum efficiency, keeping your heating bills down.

Bleed Your Radiators

You’ll want to regularly check and bleed your radiators if they have trapped air, this ensures your radiators work to the best ability, warming your rooms and keeping energy bills down. If you notice your radiators aren’t heating up properly but there isn’t any trapped air, you could have a limescale build up which requires a treatment to be added to your circulating hot water in order to dissolve and remove the offending build ups. If you aren’t comfortable maintaining your radiators, ask your heating engineer to check them over while performing a boiler service.

Improved Windows

If you’ve got old, poorly maintained or single glazed windows, you are going to lose lots of expensive warmth from your property. Consider investing in new windows or upgraded double glazed windows from an installation firm such as Custom Choice Windows. Windows cover a large portion of your home and while heavy curtains will block some heat loss, they won’t prevent you feeling drafts throughout your home. The installation of good quality windows can be expensive, but a good firm will have financing available to spread the cost, so you’ll be able to starting saving on your heating bills sooner rather than later and feel more comfortable while doing so.

If you get unexpectedly caught out by a cold snap with poor quality windows, plastic sheeting or shrink wrap can be used to cover your windows for a temporary, low-cost heat trapping measure.

Loft Insulation

If you haven’t converted your loft or have an older property with converted loft space, you aren’t likely to have efficient insulation and a lot of heat, considering that hot air rises, is likely being lost through your roof. Invest in some quality insulation or have a professional firm take care of it, not only will you reduce the risk of damp during colder, wetter months but you will ensure your home traps the heat better, saving you money and allowing you to turn the thermostat down a few degrees.

General Winter Changes

If you haven’t got the budget for last minute home improvement investments, here are some further changes you can make around the home to keep the heat in and stop your energy bills from skyrocketing. Make sure you use heavy curtains in the winter and tuck them behind radiators to maximise the heat output into the room, open curtains when the sun is fully out and close them as the sun sets to keep the most natural warmth into furniture and soft furnishings during the day.

Close doors to unused rooms and turn radiators to low or off in rooms that you aren’t using on a regular basis, also make sure that you turn your thermostat down overnight, 18-20 degrees C is the favourable day temperature so 16-17 degrees overnight will save you money.

Of course, you could always get the family to wrap up in a few extra layers, cuddle up on the sofa in the living room, turn the heating low in all the other rooms and watch some good family festive movies with some tasty hot chocolate! Add this great bonding activity to your weekly schedule and save a bit extra on your heating bills to have more available to splash out on tasty festive food and some exciting Christmas presents for your loved one this year.