5 Ways to Lower your Home Heating Bills
According to Claddagh Oil energy prices are forever on the rise, and more and more people are concerned about how they’ll be able to afford to pay their own home heating bills. Thankfully, these 5 tips are easy and inexpensive ways you can lower your heating bills while still keeping your home nice and warm.
Maximize your Heat Efficiency
One of the best ways to lower your bills is to make the most of your home’s heating system. This way, you’ll be able to still warm up your home while saving money on the amount of heat you use. Lower your thermostat by a few degrees, turn off the radiators in unused rooms of the house and make sure your furniture isn’t blocking any sources of heat.
Develop Better Habits
Being more conscious of your heating requirements can go a long way toward how much you spend on energy in the long run. Instead of reaching for the thermostat when you feel a cold draught, grab a jumper or blanket instead. Also, make sure you keep all your doors and windows closed on chilly days and take showers instead of a hot bath. Most of us simply need to instil some energy efficiency tips into our daily routine in order to start saving money on energy payments.
Identify Problem Areas
Draughty areas in the home are usually responsible for cold air coming in and heat sources being wasted. They may not seem like much, but even a small hole or gap can make a big difference to the temperature in your home. Draught excluders on doors, insulation film on windows and caulking between skirting boards and the floor with silicone sealant are all cheap and easy ways of covering up those troublesome gaps or small openings. Also, if you have older front or back doors which are made from wood instead of PVC, consider putting up heavy curtains near these entrances if you feel a chill coming from the gaps in the door frame. It’s easy to lose heat during the cold winter months, and this waste of energy can result in a dramatic increase in your heating bills.
Use your Timer Properly
If possible, set your heating on a timer instead of flicking on the ‘constant’ switch as it’s easy to forget to turn it off. If you have a regular routine and you can plan exactly when you will be home or out of bed each day, try and set your home’s central heating with efficiency in mind. A short burst of heat will make the house feel warm and toasty, so setting the central heating to come on just 15 minutes before you get up and before you come home from work will take the chill out of the air without having the radiators on for hours at a time.
Don’t use External Heating Appliances
Electric blankets or halogen heaters will heat up very quickly and you’ll immediately feel their effects, but they are very wasteful sources of heat. These appliances are inefficient at heating up rooms or large areas, so you’ll feel cold as soon as you move away from them or turn them off. You might think that you’re saving money by not using your central heating, but these heaters are typically much more expensive to keep on for long periods of time.
Susan writes for Qeedle about business and tip for small businesses.