Autumn is here, which means as leaves start to fall, so do temperatures - and we begin turning the central heating back on. The good news is that with the new energy price cap that came into effect on 1st October 2023, energy prices have fallen, and this will last until the end of the year. This is expected to bring dual-energy bills below £2,000 a year for the first time since April 2022, saving you in the region of £151 compared to the previous quarter. However, it's important to note that the amount you pay will depend on your actual household usage.
Even with prices having fallen and a new price cap in place, every penny counts. With this in mind, we’re looking at ways you can save energy to reduce your autumn bills further. If you consider that about 80% of all the energy you use in a year is used to heat your home and hot water, even small changes can make a big difference.
Here are our top tips for keeping your home toasty warm while helping reduce winter heating bills.
Be thermostat savvy
Our first tip is easy and effective. Simply turn down your thermostat a tad. You probably won’t even notice a couple of degrees drop, but it does make a difference to your heating bill, and and how much heating oil or LPG you will use. It has been estimated that for every 1℃ decrease between 22℃ and 18℃, the average home will end up saving £130 a year*. And the bigger the home, the greater the saving.
If you don’t already have one, get a programmable thermostat. This will let you pre-set temperatures at different times of the day. For example, there’s no need to have your heating on all day if you go to work during the week. Also, you can set the thermostat to a lower temperature at night when everyone is in bed, then to come on for an hour before you get up. Before you know it, you’ll be effortlessly lowering your heating bill. Possibly by as much as 20%! And if you are ever a bit cold, you can always override the setting and turn the heating on for a while.
Ditch the drafts
According to the Energy Saving Trust, draughty windows and doors could be costing you around £45 a year in heating bills if you’re living in a typical semi-detached property using gas. So, get excluding those draughts and save cash.
Obviously, the best solution is to replace old windows with modern double glazing. But this is expensive, albeit effective. Don’t worry, there are cheaper alternatives out there.
The first place to start is by checking window and door locks. They can become loose or damaged over time, which means there is no tight seal and hot air is getting out. Go around the house checking every fitting. When you find a problem one, tighten it or replace it with a new one. Also, check that the hinges are working as they should. They may need cleaning and lubricating, or possibly even replacing if badly rusted.
One of the simplest and fastest ways to fix draughty windows is to apply self-adhesive draught excluders. These are available from any local DIY store and are relatively inexpensive, costing as little as £3 a roll. You just cut them to length and stick them down, following the instructions. It’s important to make sure you have the right strip for your window. If it’s too thick, your window won’t shut, and if it’s too thin, draughts will still get through.
Another option is to fix window film to the glass. This requires a bit more DIY skill. But not that much. First, make sure you get proper window insulation film, not the decorative type. This will be available in a kit that includes the tape needed to fix it into place, though self-adhesive options are available. Remember to make sure your windows are spotless on the inside before applying the film as you won’t be able to clean them afterwards. Also, you might need a hairdryer handy to remove any wrinkles from the film once you’ve attached it to the window.
For doors, you can fit the same kind of self-adhesive draught excluders as you use on windows. There is also a choice of PVC, material and tape draft excluders and seals you can fix to the bottom and edge of a door. These are every bit as easy to fit. Even easier is to get a good old fashioned draught excluder snake and put that against the bottom of the door. You can make one of these yourself - simply stuff an old pair of tights, a pair of socks or even the leg of an old pair of jeans with fabric, rice, dried lentils or sand, and tie securely at the open end.
Fasten up the flue
Got a fireplace? Then get that flue closed when you’re not using it. This is because an open flue can let as much hot air escape up the chimney as a 48-inch window being left wide open. But what if you don’t have a chimney damper? Well, you can buy a chimney draught excluder. There are a range of styles on offer. These include a material option, an umbrella style fitting and one that is a bit like an inflatable balloon that fills the chimney. Whichever one you go for, you’ll be saving energy and lowering your heating bill. Just remember to remove it before putting the fire on!
Remove anything blocking radiators
This is probably the easiest of the bunch. If you’ve got something up against a radiator, like a settee or bed, it is preventing heat from escaping and warming the room. Moving these heat blockers allows hot air to flow around the room. Also check you’re not blocking any vents as this can cause pressure imbalance around the home and mess up heat flow.
Make the most of sunny days
Make sure your curtains are open wide on sunny days as the heat from the sun will heat up your room, especially if it is south-facing. It might not make a huge difference, but every little helps. Also, draw your curtains as the sun goes down to stop heat escaping. According to the University of Salford, it could reduce heat loss by between 15 to 17%. Which is not a bad saving for simply closing the curtains.
Keep your boiler in tip-top condition
Whether you’re using domestic heating oil or LPG, you need to make sure your boiler is regularly serviced as this will ensure it is working at its best. For example, whilst cleaner burning than oil boilers, LPG boilers still benefit from an annual service - always use a GAS SAFE engineer. In the case of oil fired central heating boilers, soot can build up inside which reduces efficiency. Ensuring that your oil boiler has an annual service could reduce your yearly heating bill by up to 10%, and we would always recommend you use an OFTEC registered oil heating engineer.
One great way to reduce soot from building up is by using our Premium Heating Oil. This has been specially formulated to optimise the performance of your boiler so every litre of oil burns more efficiently. At the same time it reduces deposit build up around nozzles and heat exchange surfaces.
We're always here with help and advice if you'd like a chat at anytime, and our oil and LGP packages can help you budget all year round. Our Premium Package* helps our oil customers by providing a 2 pence per litre discount on every delivery, whilst our LPG Package* provides VAT paid deliveries. Both also come with additional benefits such as emergency boiler breakdown cover.
Want to know more? Just call us on 01423 770 666 or alternatively you can email us at helpoil@northernenergy.co.uk.
And, check out our recent blog if you are interested in if it is a good time to buy your heating oil.
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