WITH monthly bills set to increase for households, every penny counts when it comes to managing your home.
Millions of households face higher energy bills from today as Ofgem’s latest price cap takes effect.
It means average annual costs for electricity and gas are now £500 more expensive than they were in October 2021.
So any small savings can make all the difference.
But with temperatures starting to drop as autumn weather takes hold, the temptation is there to put the heating on.
To help, plumbing experts at Yell have compiled a list of tips on how best to save money on your heating bills to ensure you can stay warm whilst cutting costs.
Here, they round up the five changes you can make.
Bleed and Clean Your Radiator System
First up, you should make sure that the water that lives in your pipes and radiators is clean and free of any sludge.
This will ensure your heating system is as effective as it possibly can be.
Sludge build-up can not only increase your bills by as much as 25 per cent with up to 36 per cent more heat loss but will also significantly reduce the lifespan of your boiler and central heating system.
The Yell team say: “Signs of a sludgy system or one that needs bleeding include cold spots at the bottom of your radiator or finding they take longer than others to heat up fully.
“Regularly check your radiators by simply bleeding a little of the system water into a container from your radiator valve.
“This way you can keep on top of any maintenance that may be needed, as well as ensure no unnecessary money is being spent.”
Check Your Radiators are Balanced
An unbalanced heating system within your home can lead to you spending far more money heating your home than you need to.
When a thermostat is set to 20C, an unbalanced heating system will result in the upstairs reaching around 23C, whereas the downstairs will still be much lower and too cold.
But if you turn the thermostat up higher to heat the downstairs to a higher temperature, the upstairs will then be overheated which will lead to higher energy bills.
It is recommended to keep your thermostat between 18-21C throughout the home to keep it at the most comfortable temperature upstairs and downstairs without significantly increasing your monthly bill.
Programme or Time Your Heating
As many people go back to work, they look at ways to turn their heating on and off at more convenient times to avoid any overspending or wastage when they are out of the house more regularly.
No matter the heating system you have, programming or timing how long your heating is on is a great way to cut costs and save money this winter.
A timer allows you to schedule when your boiler turns on and off over 24 hours, whereas a programmer gives you more options, allowing you to set different times and temperatures throughout your week.
The plumbing experts say: “Consider setting your timer to go off 20 minutes before you leave the house or go to bed. That way, there will still be residue heat left in the house before you need to leave.”
Set Your Thermostatic Radiator Valves To Low
Much like your thermostat, ensuring your thermostatic radiator valves (TRV) are set to low will save you more money than you may realise.
You can then gradually turn these up until the room is left at the desired temperature.
Turning your TRV to a higher setting will not heat the room any quicker, as this depends on the size and setting of your boiler.
All this will do is spend more money and use more energy for longer as it tries to get the room to a hotter temperature.
Heating costs can be significantly reduced by ensuring your radiator can circulate the heat properly, even at a lower setting.
“Make sure there is no furniture blocking the radiator, curtains are not covering it, and cabinets are not used to disguise it”, the experts say.
“This way your room will heat swiftly without having to whack the thermostat up to high.”
Stop Draughts
There is no easier way to save money on your heating bills than by ensuring any window and door draughts are blocked out.
Draught-proofing around windows and doors could save you around £85 a year.
Many draught-proofing hacks can be carried out by homeowners and won’t cost much to do. A great hack is adding metal brushed windows and draught excluders to your frames.
This way, you will be able to keep out the cold and reduce the amount of hot air that is being lost and therefore money that is going to waste.
As well as doors and windows, many older properties have open chimneys, which are known for letting out significant amounts of heat.
Consider blocking the chimney with an inflatable chimney pillow or fitting a cap to your chimney pot.
