14 Dec 5 tips reducing your heating bills
We love it when we can spend money on what we want.
We hate it when we have to spend money on bills.
So we are going to have a look at a few ways we can reduce the spend on our heating bills, keeping the money for ourselves is always good.
I guess we would need to begin at the boiler end of things as this is where we get all our hot stuff from, be it hot water or heating.
Boilers and Controls
People out there keep saying that the newer stuff is best and in the case of the humble boiler they are quite correct. The downside to this is the cost of replacing the rusting hulk in the corner. However, if we take a look at what controls the boiler, we may be able to see that the controls are not as accurate as they could be. A degree or two in the wrong direction can make all the difference. According to the Energy Savings Trust an increase in the temperature of a single degree will increase your annual heating bill by about 10%. There are quite a few different types of control on the market from straightforward timers which simply turn your system on or off at set times to programmable ones which allow you to set the times for different days. You may be able to get a controller which keeps track of the internal temperature and maintains that level and this is while it is within the turned on phase. Then there are also those control units for the technically minded that allow you to control your boiler while away from home.
Radiators
Looking at the heating side, the radiators have an input side and an outflow. One side of the radiator will have an adjustable valve on it which controls the flow of hot water through the radiator. In turn this is how the radiator gets hot, or not. If you have a TRV, a Thermostatic Radiator Valve, you can adjust each radiator according to the room requirements. Rather than simply being radiator on or radiator off you can have variations. Another quick one to look at, or rather have a feel of, is the radiator itself. Is it getting warm all the way down or just part of it? It may need a quick bleed. This is where air is trapped in the radiator and prevents it from warming all the way through.
Make use of the Sun
That big ball of burning gasses in the sky keeps turning up on a regular basis, unless you live in Blackpool or Preston in which case you are more likely to get cloud cover.
If we open our curtains during the day we can allow the sunlight to steam into our rooms and warm things up for us for free. Must remember to close them as the sun goes down to keep the heat in though. The one to keep a look out for is whether the windows are steamed up, misty or have condensation on them. Any of the above will stop any of the good stuff getting into the room. For condensation, easy one first, use a dry cloth or towel and wipe the window down. Unfortunately the next couple, steamed up or misty windows, depend on how bad they are. The cause of the misty or steamed up window is a broken window seal which has allowed the gasses within the glass frame to get damp air in. This damp air is the stuff that is condensing on the inside of the glass panel. When it is warm enough it may go away for a while, but it will come back.
So this moves us onto another thing.
Blown Windows.
A misty window or stemmed up window is as it is because the air between the panes has got damp. The only fix for this is to replace the glass unit. As long as the frame is not damaged a glass unit replacement is a quick, easy job and does not cost too much either. Also it may be felt fairly quickly that the room is warmer and fewer drafts too.
Add Insulation
Loft insulation is a fairly easy thing to accomplish if you are fit and able enough to do all the lifting and shifting. You do need to wear the right protective gear, breathing mask and gloves. The dust can be quite irritating and if the old insulation is fiberglass it can really irritate skin.
Stopping Drafts.
A draft is annoying in that it finds you wherever you decide to stand or sit, it trails after you to suck the heat away. So if we can stop it first, all the better. Insulation again comes to mind. Check your opening windows, they have a rubber thing. The rubber thing which sits between the opening sedition and the frame is to help prevent water getting in as well as the winds. Take a look at these and make sure they are not brittle or split. You may need to get a qualified person in to replace the strips but it will help stop the drafts. Check your doors too, these have similar rubber strips as well.
Seals around the edges
Another one which we may, or may not, have looked at is under the sink. The drain from the sink may be heading to the grid outside. To get there it needs to get through the wall. You may want to check that the pipe is sealed around the outside to stop drafts sliding in.
While we are looking at things around the outside, we could do a quick check of the frames of the window and doors. Are they OK? Or slightly a bit questionable? Again, if we can see the crack then the cold winds can certainly find their way in. This in turn reduces the heat, which causes us to turn up the boiler and that costs us more money. Having a professional window installer come and take a look does not hurt and they may have a really quick fix if the edge is not too bad.
OK so I suggested 7 different things to check. I can add an eighth item, add a few thin layers of clothing rather than one really thick layer. Air gets trapped between layers and gets you snug and warm in no time at all. We do this around the Fylde Coast, which covers Blackpool and a little further inland at Preston.
If you’re interested in replacing a window for your home, take a look at our New Window packages. Alternatively, just take a look at our other services for more!
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