With energy bills set to rise in the coming weeks, people are looking for ways to reduce energy costs as we head into the cold days of winter.
The huge demand for gas and oil has increased wholesale costs that have now been passed on to consumers.
However, there are some ways you can reduce your home heating bill without having to freeze over the winter.
Here are 8 ways you can reduce your heating bill:
1. Update your boiler and heating controls
Old boilers can cost more to run, but buying a brand new one might not always be cost-effective.
If buying a new boiler costs more than running your current one, you can replace your heating controls.
This will make your heating more accurate. By installing a thermostat, programmer and thermostatic radiator valves, you could be reducing your bill by €90 a year and reduce your homes carbon output by 320kg a year.
2. Clean your radiator system
Making sure your system water is clean and free of sludge will make your heating system more efficient and make your boiler and central heating system last longer.
If you have cold spots at the bottom of your radiator or you have noticed it takes a long time to heat up, you may have sludge in the system.
Heavy sludge in your radiators can increase your bill by up to 25%.
3. Check your radiators are balanced
An unbalanced system will mean it is warmer upstairs than it is downstairs, where you spend the majority of your day.
Turning up the heating until downstairs is at a warm temperature may lead to upstairs becoming uncomfortably hot.
Try turning down your thermostat by just one degree. This can save you up to €70 on your heating bill.
4. Put your boiler to the correct settings
Your boiler only needs to be on the highest setting during the depths of winter.
5. Programme your heating
A timer is the perfect way to maintain heat in your home without having the heating on all the time.
Try setting the heating for an hour in the morning and two hours midday or evening. This will keep your home warm without using excess energy.
6. Use your thermostats
Consider playing around with different temperatures you feel comfortable with.
Remember that even lowering the temperature by one degree in some rooms will save you money.
7. Zone heating
Having separate heating circuits means you can change the temperature in each room you are in.
This could save you a fortune by not heating rooms you don’t use in your home frequently.
You can use smart radiator valves to create heating zones in different rooms if you have a smart thermostat.
8. Set your radiator valves low
Turning your thermostatic radiator valves low and then gradually turning them up until they are at a comfortable level can also save you money.
Radiators work by drawing cold air in through the bottom and hot air leaving the top. You can reduce heating costs by ensuring they can do this properly by moving furniture away from them and not disguising them.
