Heating bills are perhaps one of the largest expenses which are faced over the winter months. This is because the prolonged cold weather means that households become more reliant on their central heating, leading them to facing higher energy bills. Saving money on heating is therefore essential for many households, but how can it be achieved?
Heating costs are affected by a number of different factors, meaning that money can be saved by making simple changes and adjustments. These range from upgrading existing boilers and products to more energy efficient ones to conserving heating uses and consumption.
Energy Efficient Products
New legislation means that all household appliances such as fridges, freezers, washing machines, ovens and even light-bulbs must have an energy efficiency rating within the UK. This means that packaging for these products will now contain a European Union energy rating label which rates products in terms of their efficiency. EnergyChoices.co.uk1 explains that the most efficient products are those rated A++ whilst the least efficient are those rated G.
Investing in a more efficient product will therefore cut the energy consumption level incurred within your household. This therefore means that you will pay less on your bills, helping you to save money and the environment. According to the Energy Saving Trust2, an A++ rated fridge/freezer can save the average household nearly £40 on their annual energy bills. This means that simply changing one household appliance can amount to large, regular savings, helping homes to become more efficient and financially comfortable.
Conserving Heat
The other main way to save money on heating over winter is to conserve heat and use central heating services more efficiently. This is achieved by ensuring that any heat which is generated is being put to good use and not wasted unnecessarily. Heat loss occurs most commonly through roofs, walls and windows and can see houses wasting a large amount of energy and money.
According to the Guardian, 20%3 of heat is lost through poor ventilation and draughts, 15% is lost through the roof of a house and about one third is lost through walls. Addressing all of these areas can therefore help to improve your heat retention levels, leading to improved environmental and economical efficiency.
Figures from the Guardian4 suggest that loft insulation, wall cavity insulation and draught exclusion can provide households with a combined saving of approximately £220 a year. These savings will therefore offset the installation costs of these improvements or changes very quickly, allowing households to benefit from the savings almost immediately.
Heat can also be conserved by making small changes to household temperatures and heating services. The Guardian5 states that reducing your heating thermostat by just one degree can save as much as 10% whilst REUK6 claims that using a washing machine at thirty degrees rather than forty degrees can save 41%. This will mean that energy consumption levels will be far lower in your home, something which is beneficial both for the environment and for your pocket.