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It is well known that energy prices are on the rise, however, it is not always plain to see how your daily habits can affect them. One of these major areas is heating which accounts for up to 50% of all household bills, so turning down the thermostat a notch or two could mean big savings come winter time.
Turn Your Thermostat Down
One of the easiest ways to save money is by turning your thermostat down a degree or two. Every degree reduces your heating bill by up to 3%, so if you were to turn it down from 21 degrees to 18 degrees, you could save as much as 9% on your energy bills. Although this may seem difficult in winter, the growing popularity of programmable thermostats makes this easy for anyone – just set them to switch off when everybody leaves for work and have them kick back in again an hour before everyone arrives home. If you are worried about being too cold upon getting up or returning home then why not curl up under a cozy?
Getting into the habit of turning your thermostat down by a degree or two in winter is something that you can do with ease and it will soon become second nature. If you are unlucky enough to suffer from cold bedrooms then keep an extra blanket close at hand for when you need it, but remember not to crank up the heat so much during the day that everyone is sweltering
Turn Down Your Radiator
Another way of reducing heating bills and saving money on energy is by turning down your radiator. This is especially easy if your radiators come equipped with built-in valves which allow you to manually turn them off until they are required again. You can then crank them open by just one notch instead of having them full blast throughout the room.
This will save you money as well as reducing the amount of heat lost through your home’s walls which are designed to hold in heat. If they are not blocked by radiators then they will be able to maintain room temperature easily.
If however, this is not an option for you and you do not want to turn your radiator off completely then remember that just turning them down slightly will still help reduce your heating bill. It may take longer for hot water to reach your taps but this is definitely something worth doing if it means saving on energy costs
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Know When To Turn Down Your Heaters
Although most people don’t realize it, there really are times when its best to turn up the thermostat – these include very cold days or if you have been out all day. If the weather is particularly cold outside then it’s a good idea to turn your heating up so that by the time you get home from work, the home will be lovely and warm
In terms of the summer months, don’t be tempted to waste energy by leaving fans or air conditioners on when nobody is in the room. Leaving appliances running unnecessarily can increase your energy bills dramatically over time, increasing them even more than just switching them off for a couple of hours would save you.
Save Your Money Using Insulations.
Another way of saving money on heat throughout winter is by using insulation. Loft insulation alone has been shown to reduce household emissions as well as cutting heating bills by as much as 25%.
Gardens are often wasted when it comes to insulation but by using garden willow screens you can easily improve your loft insulation. This also creates another form of green energy, especially if you grow fruit and vegetables on them! If you do not have the time or inclination to create this then why not just remember that anything that keeps your home warmer in winter is money saved for other things.
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Is There Any Other Way I Could Save Money?
Many people struggle to pay their electric bills every month, especially during the winter months when heaters are cranked up. If you are spending more than you can afford on heating costs, try these five simple strategies to help save money this winter without lowering your comfort level.
- Take advantage of free programs that provide free or discounted energy-efficient products or services specifically for low-income residents. Programs operate throughout the country, and applications for enrollment are typically available online, by phone, or at local government offices.
- Insulate your home as much as possible. Add caulking around windows and doors to keep cold air from entering through small cracks; wrap water pipes that can freeze with foam insulation; clean any dusty filters on humidifiers; seal exposed walls with spray insulation, and turn your thermostat down to 65 degrees while you are away or when you are sleeping. You can reduce heating costs by 10 percent or more without lowering your comfort level.
- Lower the temperature on your water heater to about 120 Fahrenheit, which is sufficient for most household uses. If you take a lot of long showers or do laundry at hot temperatures, consider raising the temperature to 130 F, but be sure to check it often and verify that your water doesn’t get too hot.
- Turn off lights and appliances when they aren’t in use and unplug chargers for cell phones, iPads, and other electronics when they aren’t in use. Appliances can draw electricity even if they appear to be turned off because many have power “on” lights that stay on as long as the appliance is plugged into an outlet.
- Install low-flow faucets, shower heads, toilets, and clothes washers to reduce your water usage and save on heating costs. High-efficiency appliances cost more initially, but will pay for themselves in energy savings within one to three years and can last up to two decades longer than traditional equipment.
Take some time before winter arrives to really think about how much heat you actually need throughout each room and whether this could be reduced by turning down radiators or thermostats slightly. Saving money on heating bills doesn’t have to be difficult so start now and save yourself some pennies!
