With the cost of living crisis keeping financial pressure on households high, many will be looking for ways to cut their energy bills.
This is most difficult during the winter period when temperatures can get extremely low, forcing people to switch their heating on while dreading what it may cost them. Fortunately, there are ways to ease the financial anxiety of heating a home.
Energy regulator Ofgem has provided some tips to reduce energy usage throughout winter which will help keep costs low. Furthermore, many of the tips mentioned only include a simple check or alteration around the house and require little to no expertise.
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According to Ofgem, there are four varieties of actions you can take when it comes to reducing the amount of energy you use - 'Set it and forget it'; everyday small actions; basic home improvements; larger home improvements.
Here are 13 ways Ofgen say you can save money by improving the efficiency of heating your home this winter.
Reduce your boiler flow temperatures
Reducing your boiler flow temperature can improve the efficiency of your boiler and reduce how much fuel it uses. If you have a combi boiler, you can control the temperature of hot water supplied to your radiators.
However, the default setting is generally around 80C which heavily reduces the efficiency of your boiler. Using a lower temperature setting will ensure that your house remains as warm as before but with less fuel being used by the boiler.
Ofgem recommends that you set a flow temperature of 60C or higher to ensure your home heats up quick enough.
Reduce your water temperature
Tap water can often reach high temperatures that are simply not needed. If you have a heating system with a separate hot water cylinder, try turning down the temperature thermostat on the cylinder to 60C - it should not be reduced below this as legionella bacteria can survive.
Reduce your room thermostat
Reducing the temperature on your thermostat can reduce the overall energy used for keeping your house warm. Ofgem recommends you reduce it to 18-21C, with the UK Health Security Agency recommending an indoor temperature of 18C minimum.
Turn down radiators when room isn't being used
By turning down a radiator in a room that's not in use, you can reduce the overall volume of hot water being used in the house, dragging down your energy use. Most radiators are fixed with a valve marked from 0-6 where zero is 'off' and 6 is the highest temperature.
Reduce washing machine temperature
Changing your regular wash to 30C means you could get three cycles instead of two by using the same amount of energy, depending on your washing machine. It's important to note that modern washing machines can clean clothes effectively at lower temperatures.
Reduce tumble dryer use
Tumble dryers are one of the most energy-hungry devices in the average home. You can save energy use by using it less frequently and only when you have a full load or by drying clothes outside.
Turn appliances off standby
Many appliances suck up electricity when not in use, such as computers, televisions, video game consoles, and smart devices. Turning these off by the socket will prevent them from taking up energy when they don't need to.
Close curtain/blinds at night
Closing curtains and blinds at night can help reduce the amount of warm air escaping through the windows at night and may reduce heating costs.
Change lights to energy-efficient bulbs
Energy-efficient light bulbs can reduce energy costs without changing how much light is in your home. Furthermore, the colour emitted by a bulb does not affect its energy usage so you can use whatever light setting you usually enjoy at a cheaper cost.
Prevent heat from escaping
Doors, windows, and chimneys are prime suspects when it comes to heat escaping from your house. Try going around the house and blocking any unwanted gaps around windows and doors, ensuring you won't need to heat your home as frequently.
Try window film
Window film is a neat way of adding a second glazing to a single-glazed window. It can help to reduce the amount of heat escaping through the glazing, saving how much energy you need to heat up the house.
However, while doing this, you should ensure that all rooms still have good ventilation and air quality.
Insulate your hot water tank
Insulating a hot water tank can reduce the amount of heat it loses. You also won't need anything fancy to do this and could use a winter jacket you've got lying around.
An added benefit of this is that it will keep water hot for longer periods of time, reducing how much energy would be needed to heat it up.
Install smart thermostat/controls
A smart thermostat allows you to have more control over how much energy you use. It allows you to set your heating and hot water to only come on when it's required and can sometimes be adjusted to fit the weather.
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