How To Save Money During The Winter of 2022
With winter approaching and energy bills soaring through the roof, we asked the in-house energy expert at UK Radiators Daniel Nezhad for some of his most valuable tips for saving energy this winter!
15 Tips To Help You Save Money This Winter
1. Bleed Your Radiators
Not bleeding your radiators is one of the biggest causes of poor performance in heating due to the air build-up in the system during the summer when the heating is off. Air in the radiators stops the water from filling them up which means they aren't using their full capacity. The room will often never reach the desired temperature, so your thermostat will never switch the boiler off.
2. Avoid Placing Bulky Furniture In Front of Your Radiator
Don't put large bulky furniture in front of radiators - especially heat-absorbing ones like sofas. You end up paying to heat the back of your sofa, not the room. An unobstructed radiator will always be better at heating a room than one with furniture in front of it.
3. Turn off the Preheat On Your Combi Boiler.
Everyone likes instant hot water, but water is much cheaper than gas. It's way more cost-effective to run a shower for 30 secs before you get in than have the boiler reheating its small tank every 30 minutes.
4. Use A Clothes Rail To Dry Your Clothes
Use clothes rails in front of radiators to dry your clothes instead of using a tumble dryer. This way you get extra use of the energy you are already using. However, never put clothes directly on the radiators. That will cause the room to take longer to reach the right temperature, therefore, using more energy than necessary.
5. Set Your Heating to Automatic
Ensure you have your heating on an effective automatic timer system. Column radiators, heated towel rails and other similar heating appliances need to be switched on only when you’re using the bathroom in the morning and at night. If you’re out for most of the day, make sure your home isn’t being heated until you’re back.
6. Layer Up To Reduce Your Energy Usage
Rather than turning up the thermostat to warm up your home, wear more layers and try to spend more time in the warmest areas of the house. Just turning your thermostat down by one or two degrees can save a lot of money in the long run. Wearing slippers will help keep your feet warm which will make you feel warmer overall. Having cold feet could be the reason you always want the heating on.
7. Fix Your Heating For Cheaper Bills
Make sure your radiators and heating system are regularly maintained, checked and repaired if necessary. If something is leaking or not working properly, it’s almost certainly going to be wasting your money on your energy bills.
8. Make The Most Of The Little Sunlight You Get
Making the most out of sunlight can help you save on heating and lighting. Opening your blinds or curtains during the day will let you maximise the energy and warmth coming in from natural light.
9. Turn Down The Hot Water Temperature
Turn down the temperature of your hot water if this is an option, as this could also be wasting energy in many households.
10. Time Your Appliance Usage To Make The Most Out Of Savings
If you are on an Economy 7 or Economy 10 electricity tariff, you will get cheaper electricity at night than during the day. This means you could save money by only turning on appliances that use more energy at night.
11. Get Some Draft Excluders
Sounds obvious, but if you have cold air getting into your house, then it will cost more to keep the desired temperature. Ensuring you keep the cold air out will help keep your house warmer and your bills cheaper.
12. Avoid The Oven If You Can
If you can swap your oven usage with an alternative, you could save money on your energy bills. A microwave is a more energy-efficient way to cook than using an oven. An air fryer is also a more energy-efficient option.
13. Ensure Your Fireplace Is Actually Helping Keep Your House Warm
If you use your fireplace with a real burning fire, make sure the heat isn’t all escaping out of the chimney by keeping the damper in a closed position. If you don’t use your fireplace, seal the chimney to stop warm air from escaping.
14. Cover Your Pan While Cooking
Putting a lid on your pan when cooking or boiling water will greatly reduce the time it takes, reducing energy usage and your bills as a consequence.
15. Fill Your Kettle With Exactly What You Need
Only fill the kettle with as much water as you need. The more water that's in the kettle, the longer it will take to boil, and the more electricity it will use up. If you just need a cup of tea, measure a cup of water and boil that instead of having the kettle full to the brim.
