With summer now coming to an end, winter is just around the corner. With temperatures hitting new records, it’s hard to imagine winter days on the horizon. But the colder weather is on its way with temperatures dropping over the next few weeks. As the house becomes colder, the time comes to put your heating on.
A lot of households are concerned more than ever this year about how much their heating bill will be as we are in a cost of living crisis. It’s one of the top concerns homeowners have with them worried about how they will afford the bill. After all, with bills expected to be extremely high, it’s leading families looking at ways to try and cut down their heating bills. Thankfully, there are some things you can do to help cut down the costs. Here are some essential tips you need to save money on your heating bills this winter.
Look at switching suppliers
When you stay with the same supplier for your energy, likely, you will not benefit from the best rates. If they have any deals, it tends to be for new customers, not their current customers. Also, you might be paying a higher price than necessary. After all, you are sticking to the same supplier and the price tends to remain the same. Therefore, it’s worth checking other suppliers and their current rates if you want to save some money on your bills. Use a good comparison site that shows you the price of other, reputable brands. They will ask you questions regarding your home and your energy use. They will then give you an approximate amount you will have to pay and you can compare this against your current supplier’s tariff. You should always contact your current supplier to tell them you are thinking about switching. They might offer you a better rate for staying with them. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to check with them first so you don’t miss out on a better deal.
Go on a fixed tariff
If you go on a variable tariff for your energy bill, the prices could be much higher than you can afford. This will be at a variable rate so the price will differ every month according to the rate at that specific time. You could end up with a very expensive bill. Therefore, to save money on your heating bills, it’s a wise decision to go onto a fixed tariff. Whether you do this for a couple of months or a year, you know the exact rate you will pay and how much it will work out roughly every month. That way, they can’t change it unexpectantly to a new rate during this period. And you know you are getting the best rate possible for your energy bills.
Complete an annual boiler service
It’s always important to have a boiler service every year. For one thing, it keeps it running efficiently as any issues are fixed during the service. And they will ensure everything is working to the best of its ability. After all, if there is something not running correctly, it could be causing your boiler to be working incorrectly. It could be on when it shouldn’t be or even using more energy than necessary. Therefore, you will be paying more than necessary and also adding to your carbon footprint. A service also highlights any issues so they are resolved now before the problem gets much worse. Therefore, you are saving money in the long run if you have to pay for a new boiler. Additionally, keeping up your boiler service ensures everything is in order if you decide to move in the future. You must have a full-service record so that everything is safe and working effectively.
Upgrade your heating system
If you have an old boiler in your home, it’s likely that it’s not running as efficiently as a newer model. Not only will it be causing you to use more energy than necessary, but it will also be costing you more too. After all, the more energy you use, the higher your bill. Therefore, while it can feel a high cost to upgrade your heating system, it is often worth it to invest in a new boiler to reap the awards with your heating bill. When you get in touch with heating engineers, they can discuss the new options available to you that will run effectively and are long-lasting. They will ensure you get the best boiler that will work for your family and will ultimately save you money in the long run. And with a newer heating system, it’s likely to have a whole range of functions so that you can set up the heating to be more cost-effective.
Install a smart thermostat
Another option to help you save money on your heating bills this winter is to look at installing a smart thermostat on your property. This is a great way to be in control of your energy use with you being able to control all the heating even when you are not at the home. It’s a highly effective way to bring down your heating bills as it’s a lot more efficient than a traditional thermostat. With the ability to reduce your heating so you only use it when you really need it, the price of your bill will plummet. Your smart thermostat can also do some of the hard work for you as it works to ensure your home is only heated when dropped below a certain temperature. And it will give you a good idea of when you should have your heating on and when you should switch it off. With the opportunity to save up to 40% of your heating costs, this is a worthwhile addition to your home.
Get a smart meter
Another good way you can reduce your bills is by looking at getting a smart meter in your home. A lot of energy companies offer you one that you can plug in your home to keep an eye on your energy use. It monitors how much energy you are using and shows you this in real-time. That way, you can track your spending and therefore make any changes necessary to your energy use. It’s a great way to find areas you could make improvements that will help to cut your energy bill. Also, you will have no nasty surprises at the end of the month as you will know how much you have spent in the last month. It will also tell you at the end of each day, week and month how much you have spent so you can make changes accordingly.
It not only will help you but it gives an accurate reading to the energy supplier. Therefore, it stops the need for estimated bills as they will get live readings sent to them via the smart meter.
Turn off unused radiators in your home
If you haven’t got a thermostat, another good idea to save money in your home is to turn off your unused radiators. It’s unlikely that you will need all the radiators in your home heated all at once. For example, there might be a spare bedroom that is barely used or a study you don’t go in too often. Unless you are going to use these a lot during winter, these should be turned off. That way, you will use less energy in your home which will help to reduce your bills. You can always turn them back on if you do need them during winter, but make sure any unused radiators are switched off in your home to help to bring the cost down of your next bill.
Keep the doors shut
You would be surprised how much heat is lost through an open door. The nicely heated room will become colder if you have the door wide open. Therefore, you find that you need to put up the thermostat which will cause your bill to rise. With this in mind, shut the door of your room when you have the heating on. Even if you are out during the day and the heating is on, keep that door shut and you will find that the room warms up quicker. That way, you will stop heat loss and will not need the heating on. Therefore, you will save more money on your bills.
Unplug unused items in your home
You will be surprised how many items in your home will be plugged in that you don’t use. Therefore, they will be using up energy unnecessarily. A lot of the things in the home that are on standby should be switched off completely to save energy. If you are not using a television, computer or games console, for example, you should turn off the plug. That way, they are not using up energy that is costing you a small fortune. Unplug anything you aren’t currently using and do this every night before going to bed. You will soon find that your bill will reduce just by making these small changes in your home. And the same applies to lights in your home. Do make sure they are switched off before you head to bed. That way, you aren’t using up energy in your home that will cause your bill to rise.
