Save expenditure on those energy bills
Save expenditure on those energy bills
The newspapers are full of reasons why we should trim energy usage. Gas bills seem to be perpetually on the rise and it is therefore also financially helpful to make greater use of the energy you buy. Your boiler may be accounting for up to one half of your total gas consumption. If you want to trim your gas costs read on as we have delineated some actions you can take.
Consider where you are using gas central heating :
Central heating radiators are made to be switched on and off. Have a look at whether there are any rooms in your home which are not being used and turn off the metal radiator there. If an area of your home is not used often it really doesn’t need heating. If you keep the entrance door closed to the room it will stop the flow of cold air around your home.
Don’t use the fire if you can use the gas heating system :
If the central heating is on using it to heat one additional room consumes only a little incremental gas. The chimney will mean that a lot of the heat created goes outside your home, whilst an electric fire appears to give immediate heat it is not as efficient as the boiler in heating the room.
Use insulation to stop draughts
Stop being chilly air flowing into your home means that you do not have to pay for energy to continually heat the air. Pay particular care to your doors and insulate any evident gaps. Block cracks in door and window frames with a foam based sealer. These type of gaps happen often in elderly houses as the foundations settle. If you are careful and use a candle flame you can detect where draughts are in a room.
A sweater or blanket might mean you don’t need to switch up the heating :
Putting on incremental clothes or just being active for a while will mean that you get hotter without switching up the heating thermostat. You can save up to 10percent on your heating expenses just by reducing the thermostat by 1°.
Temperature can be managed by using your drapes :
The sun can be used to heat your home in the winter by keeping drapes open on the side of the house where it is shining. External temperatures drop at night and your house can lose a lot of heat through the windows. Drawing a set of heavy drapes can reduce this heat loss, saving a small amount each day amounts to a large saving on your heating charges over time. The thicker your curtains the better for providing this incremental layer of insulation.
Some tips for other parts of your heating system :
Check your gas heating and whether it has a hot water cylinder as this should be insulated. Do not pay to heat water and then permit it cool down throughout the day time.
Radiators warm the wall behind and this heat loss can be reduced if you put aluminium foil behind the radiators.