Heating bills typically account for more half of your utility cost and no body likes to pay over the odds. This means that it’s important to make sure you are getting as much value out of your boiler as possible so here’s a few tips to keep your energy bills down…
Look into insulation
It’s a well know fact that a quarter of the heat that a boiler produces is lost through the roof of a home. That means that one of the best ways you can maximise that heat is by insulation your home and loft, reducing the amount of heating needed in the first place. Loft insulation can save the average home about £150 per year.
While only a Gas Safe Engineer should ever work on any appliance that handles gas, installing insulation is something that you can do yourself, or hire a professional to do if you simply don’t have the time or know how. It’s also important to note that insulation saves money in the long term and helps any other factor that you do to reduce heating bills.
Make good use of your boiler’s thermostat
As a general rule of thumb, it’s always a good idea to ask yourself. Am I using my boiler as efficiently as possible? Just because the thermostat is high, that doesn’t necessary mean that you are getting value for money for the heat produced. It’s recommended that you set your home’s thermostat to between 19°C and 21°C. Turning down the heat by just 1 can potentially save households up to £70 per year.
As it gets colder and colder, knowing what temperature is a happy medium will help you in the long run. Raising the temperature slightly until you find a good level is better than shorter waves of higher levels of heat.
Don’t forget to use your timer
There’s nothing worse than waking up in the morning, and your home is so cold that you barely have the strength to get out of bed, and to turn the heating on you not only have to brave the cold, you have to wait for everything to heat up. The good news is that you don’t have to do that with clever use of a timer and they are installed on all modern boilers.
We recommend setting your heating to come on 30 minutes before you have to get up so that your home is nice and warm before the work or school rush, and 30 minutes before everyone is going to be. That way, you are maximising when and where your heat is going to be when you need it most.
Get a second opinion
If you’ve been with the same energy provider for the past 2-3 years, then it is most likely that you aren’t getting as good a deal as possible. Energy companies tend to offer lower prices at introduction because they know that we all want to keep costs down.
We recommend using a comparison site to see if you can get a better deal for your needs. It might be that just isn’t the case but there is no harm in looking and it only takes a few minutes to offer you peace of mind or the urge you need to switch providers.
Based in Leeds and need a new boiler installed?
No matter how well your boiler is running, at some point it is time to look for a new one to keep you and your family warm during the winter months. If you are in the Leeds area and have any questions about what boiler is right for you, get in touch on 07725 692699 or through our contact page.
