As energy prices are soaring, keeping your house warm during colder months could be a challenge for your budget. Now that winter is coming it is time to reconsider your heating methods to keep energy expenses to a minimum. With just a few heat-retaining home improvements you could make it through to warmer months at minimum expense. Let's see what you can do to pay less for heating your home this winter.
How efficient is your heater? Do you know that gas- and oil-fuelled systems are only 70-75% efficient and lose a good deal of heat through the flue? This means than nearly a quarter of energy you pay for never reaches your home. Electricity is a fully convertible type of energy. By switching to electric panel heaters or radiators, you can cut household bills considerably during the entire winter. Though electric power is a bit more expensive than gas, propane or oil, it pays off to do so. Here is what you can get: reasonable prices, cheap installation costs, nearly non-existent maintenance expenses and efficient energy use.
If you are pressed for money, then night storage systems are a better choice for your household. They operate during certain times of the day when the unit of electric power costs less than the average one. Under the Economy 7 tariff, cheaper heat will be accumulated in your heater during 7 hours in the night and then released in the daytime. If you want to get an additional supply of heat during the daytime, choose the Economy 10 tariff. Both electric panel heaters and storage systems are fitted with thermostats which can be set at any designed temperature. By turning it down by 1°C, you can bring your heating bills down by up to 10% and save around £40 per year. Remember turning off the heater altogether while you are away can lead to increased expenses. It takes much more power to reheat a room than to sustain a comfortable temperature all the time.
How well is your home insulated? Once you have installed electric panel heaters, radiators or night storage devices, it is time to make sure all the heat is retained in the room. Though most homeowners would laugh at the idea of leaving a window wide open in December, few realise that badly sealed doors and windows are just as bad for keeping the heat inside the house. In the average home, 20% of all heat loss accounts for poor ventilation and draughts. Seal any gaps between the window and its frame or install double-paned windows instead. You can also seal the base of draughty entryways and have the walls insulated with foam. And keep furniture away from electric panel heaters or radiators if possible; an upholstered sofa will prevent the heat getting into the room.
With adequate preparation, you can stay warm this winter without giving up a comfortable lifestyle. Start with selecting suitable electric panel heaters or radiators and then ensure your house is properly insulated. A few home improvements can make a big difference to what you will have to pay for heat at the end of the month.
