In the UK around 22 million people received a price cap in April 2022 at the fastest rate for 30 years, going back to 1988. To make matters worse, the Chief Executive of Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (OFGEM) have said it could rise by 40% to around £2,800 in October.
WHY ARE THE PRICES GOING UP?
In the UK around 22 million people received a price cap in April 2022 at the fastest rate for 30 years, going back to 1988. To make matters worse, the Chief Executive of Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (OFGEM) have said it could rise by 40% to around £2,800 in October.
IS KEEPING YOUR HEATING ON ALL THE TIME DAMAGING TO YOUR HEATING HILLS?
Although, it’s nice having your heating on at all times and knowing your home is warm and cosy it isn’t always beneficial even if it’s on relatively low. Whereas, if you use your heating only when you need it such as when at home or when you’re not using a particular room! This can be much healthier for your heating bills.
EVERY HOUSEHOLD TO RECEIVE £400 THIS YEAR!
All households in England, Wales and Scotland will be given a £400 one off payment in October. while people on benefits will get an additional £650. This will be taken off your bill in that month. To read more about this click HERE.
HERE ARE OUR TOP 8 TOP TIPS TO HELP REDUCE THE PRESSURE OF YOUR HEATING BILLS!
1. Fit thermostatic radiator valves
With thermostatic radiator valves (TRV), you can control different room temperatures and save money by not over heating certain areas in your house.
TRV’s are so clever that they can tell when sunshine is coming through the window of a room and set the temperature lower in order to save money and not make the room too hot.
Lastly, they show the economic potential by displaying how much you have spent on your heating at any time, so you can stay on track with your finances!
2. Upgrade the thermostat
Here are some helpful reasons to get a technical thermostat:
· Lowers your energy bills
· Reduces fuel consumption
· Automatic temperature changes in accordance with your preference
· Ability to track your daily energy usage
· Ability to control your thermostat remotely
· Easy to install
3. Zone the home
Zoning divides your home into different areas, giving you more choices and control over the temperatures within it. The one thermostat can do it all independently, even on different floors where several factors may affect the temperature. Some of the benefits of zoning your home are:
· It decreases the wear and tear of your HVAC system
· Customisation of your temperature
· Increased energy efficiency which could save your energy bills by around 30%
4. Balance your radiators
Balancing your radiators is important as some don’t heat up as well as others. This means some rooms will be colder than others, even if your radiators are all on the same level. The reason for this is the hot water flowing from your boiler is not being distributed well which can be an issue moving forward into the cold winter months. Here are some simple steps to balance your radiators:
I) Bleed your radiators
Find the radiators in your home that aren’t heating up as they should be.
II) Turn off your heating
Switch off your central heating and allow time for the radiators to cool down.
III) Make a note
Ideally on a spreadsheet or you can just note down all the radiators in your home and leave a column next to each one, you will need this later.
IV) Open all the radiator valves
This can be done by turning them to the left, do this to both radiator valves on either side.
V) Heating up
Once you’ve turned your central heating back on, find which radiator is heating up the quickest. Write down in order which radiators heated up the fasted.
VI) Off and on again
Turn off your heating and on again (check the radiators have cooled down before turning them on again).
VII) Find the fastest heating radiator
Go to the fasted heating radiator that you noted down earlier and turn the lock shield valve clockwise all the way until it’s closed, then open it by turning the valve around 45 degrees.
VIII) Record
Once the radiator is heated up, note down the temperature reading where the pipework is located at the bottom of the wall. The next step is taking the temperature of the pipework leading to the valve. Open the lock shield valve until the temperature reading is at 12-degrees celsius difference from the lock shield valve temperature you recorded earlier. Be aware this needs to be in accordance with the manufacturers instructions.
IX) Balance is efficient again
Your balance should be fully functional again once you repeat this to the rest of the radiators in your home.
Click HERE to watch a step by step way in bleeding your radiators by Slimline Tools.
5. Insulate
Insulating your home is vital, you don’t want to let the heat escape your home! By putting insulation in your loft to a depth of around 30cm is the most effective way to eliminate the chance of the heat escaping into the air.
6. Draught Proof
There are many ways in which you can stop a draught from creeping into your home. These could be brushes blocking gaps around your windows, doors and even letter boxes. Chimney balloons can also be installed to stop cold air coming down into your house! You can find draught resolving items such as brushes at many homes stores such as Screwfix, Click HERE to buy or have a browse!
7. Upgrade The Boiler
A boiler is a necessity in your home. There are many benefits to getting a new boiler, here are a few:
- Work’s more efficiently
- Use less energy to heat your home.
- Newer boilers are compatible with smart thermostat’s so you can alter the heating to certain areas of the house where it’s needed most.
- Smaller boilers can fit in smaller cupboards, therefore not taking so much room in your house.
8. DOUBLE GLAZING
Heat can easily escape through the glass in windows, which is why double glazing is a recommended energy conservation measure. Double glazing is provided with an inert gas such as argon and has a vacuum between the glass which reduces heat transfer from your home. However, replacement of windows can be expensive, so if you feel like you need new windows it might be a good option to explore.
MORE EXPERT INFORMATION ON THE SUBJECT OF HEATING AND ENERGY BILLS
Click HERE to view a BBC news article with information regarding the change in energy bills this year.
If you have any boiler-based enquiries surrounding your finances, our office team would be happy to help! You can give us a call on 01273 457742!
