Your thermostat is a powerful tool in controlling both your home's warmth and your energy costs. The Energy Saving Trust suggests setting your thermostat to the lowest comfortable temperature (typically around 18-21°C). Here’s how to make the most of your settings:
Dial Down at Night: While you sleep, you can afford to lower the thermostat by a few degrees. Add an extra blanket to your bed for extra warmth.
Invest in a Programmable Thermostat: These handy gadgets allow you to set your heating to switch on and off at specific times, like 30 minutes before you wake up, ensuring a cosy start to the day.
Consider a Smart Thermostat: If your budget allows, a smart thermostat gives you full control over your heating from your phone and can even “learn” your preferred settings, potentially saving you even more.
Heat retention is key, especially in older homes. According to Citizens Advice, simple insulation improvements can prevent up to a third of heat from escaping through walls and roofs. Here are some budget friendly to premium solutions:
Draft Proof Your Home: Use draft excluders, tape, or sealant to block gaps around doors, windows, and even floorboards.
Layer Up Your Curtains: Thick curtains can reduce heat loss by as much as 17%. Consider thermal curtains or add a second layer to trap warmth indoors.
Upgrade Insulation: For those with a larger budget, wall, floor, and loft insulation provide significant long-term savings on energy bills and increase your home's overall warmth.
Space heaters can be energy efficient when used correctly. Here’s how to maximise their benefits:
Heat Small Spaces: Use space heaters to warm only the rooms you're using rather than heating the entire house.
Choose Energy Efficient Models: Opt for models with thermostats and automatic shut off features, which help you avoid overheating a room.
Never Leave Them On Unattended: For safety and cost efficiency, turn space heaters off when you leave a room.
Creating a cosy home isn’t just about keeping warm. Here are some simple tricks that make a big difference:
Layer Rugs and Throws: Rugs not only add warmth to floors but also help insulate against drafts. Layering cosy throws over furniture gives you extra warmth on colder days.
Close Off Unused Rooms: Keep doors closed to trap warmth in your most used rooms.
Use LED Candles or Small Lamps: These can add ambiance and a surprising feeling of warmth without upping the thermostat.
When it’s time to replace an appliance, going energy efficient is a great investment. Energy efficient models often use less power, cutting down on your electricity bill.
Choose Energy Star Rated Appliances: This label indicates the appliance meets high energy efficiency standards.
Energy Efficient Boilers and Radiators: Boilers account for most home heating energy use.
If yours is over ten years old, an upgrade could reduce your energy use by up to 20%.
If a new appliance isn’t in the budget, even simple maintenance, like bleeding radiators and keeping boilers well maintained... can keep your heating system running efficiently.
Each heating option has benefits and drawbacks. Here’s a quick overview:
Central Heating (Gas Boilers): Common, reliable, but with rising gas prices, it can be costly. Central heating is best when combined with good insulation.
Electric Heating: Great for targeted heating and for smaller spaces. However, it can become more expensive if used as the main heating source.
Heat Pumps: Eco friendly and highly efficient, heat pumps are increasingly popular for those looking to reduce their carbon footprint. While the initial setup costs can be high, a heat pump’s long-term efficiency, especially when paired with solar and battery options, can lead to significant energy savings. This pairing allows you to power the pump with renewable energy, reducing reliance on the grid and lowering ongoing costs.
Solar & Battery Systems: Solar panels, combined with a battery storage system, offer a fantastic long term heating solution. While the initial installation requires investment, this setup allows you to generate and store your own renewable energy. When paired with a heat pump, a solar and battery system can cover much of your home’s energy needs throughout the year, even in winter. Not only does this significantly cut down heating costs, but it also reduces your household’s carbon emissions, making it one of the greenest heating solutions available.
According to MoneySavingExpert.com, it’s important to weigh your home's heating needs, initial setup costs, and long-term savings when choosing these advanced heating solutions. Many households find that the combined power of solar panels and heat pumps makes the most of both renewable energy and efficient heating, creating a warm, sustainable home.
The best heating solutions for your home may vary, but being energy conscious, this winter can help keep your bills down and your home comfortable. Start with small steps, and you’ll see how even the simplest changes – from draft-proofing windows to adding a cosy throw – make a big difference. Here’s to a warmer, more cost-effective winter!
