I’m a home expert & my 5 heating hacks will save you over £700 on your heating bill, it’s perfect for those on a budget
WITH Labour’s recent changes to the qualifications for the Winter Fuel Allowance, many people are looking for ways to cut their energy costs
According to government figures, up to 100,000 more pensioners could face financial hardship after losing their Winter Fuel Payments.
Welfare Secretary Liz Kendall released internal estimates, revealing the extent of the cuts.
Fortunately, experts at Auction House London have revealed five easy ways to keep warm, insulate your home and cut down on your energy usage for less this winter.
With winter drawing closer and following the news of the winter fuel cuts, here, the home experts reveal their top heating hacks.
Draught Excluders
Average saving of £35 per year
Draught excluders for your windows and doors are a simple and effective way to retain heat in your rooms and keep draughts out.
They can help you save 2-5% on your heating bills each year by keeping warmth in for longer.
This could mean a saving of around £20-£50, considering the average annual gas bill for a three-bedroom home in the UK is £887.59, according to British Gas.
Older, less energy-efficient houses might see even higher savings. You can find draught excluders for as little as £8 on Amazon.
Rearranging Your Furniture
Average saving of £30 per year
In winter, many of us rearrange furniture to make room for the Christmas tree.
While you’re reshuffling, it might be worth moving your seating area away from draughty corners and closer to your room’s heat source (without pushing it directly against the heater, so the warmth can circulate properly).
By shifting furniture to warmer spots, you might be able to avoid turning up the heat by 1-2°C, potentially saving an average household around £20 – £40 per year – all without costing you a penny.
Hot Water Bottles
Average saving of £100 per year
Heating yourself rather than the whole house is a simple and cost-effective way to reduce energy use.
Adding a few extra layers usually does the job, but a hot water bottle is another great option, especially if you don’t like sleeping in multiple layers.
By placing a hot water bottle in your bed, you can stay warm for hours, with the cost of boiling a kettle to fill it as low as 3p.
If you typically keep the heating on at night, switching to a hot water bottle could save you around £100 on your energy bills each year.
Hot water bottles can usually be picked up for around £3, such as this one from Asda.
Bleed Your Radiators
Average saving of £350 per year
It’s essential to keep your heating running efficiently in winter.
Bleeding your radiators is an easy way to ensure they’re working properly.
This process removes trapped air, allowing hot water to circulate freely and provide the most heat possible without wasting energy.
To test them, feel the radiator when it’s on and check if all areas are emitting the same amount of heat.
If it’s cold in some places and hot in others, it might be time to bleed your radiator.
How to bleed a radiator
By home experts at Auction House London
- Check for cold areas: When the radiator is on, feel for any cold areas. If there are uneven temperatures, it’s time to bleed.
- Set-up: Place an old towel under the bleed valve to catch any water.
- Release the air: Insert the radiator key into the valve and turn it anti-clockwise a quarter turn – you’ll hear hissing as air escapes. It’s also important to keep a mug handy for any excess water.
- Close the valve: When the hissing stops and water starts to leak, turn the key clockwise to close.
Bleeding your radiators can reduce your energy bills by up to 20% saving you nearly £350 a year.
Heated Airers
Average saving of £87 per year
Heated airers are a great alternative to tumble dryers when winter rolls around.
Your tumble dryer will cost approximately £1.54 per cycle, while a heated airer will cost you less than a third of this, at around 42p per wash load for a drying time of 6 hours.
In the UK, temperatures tend to drop for half of the year (between October and March), meaning you could end up using your tumble dryer at least once a week for 26 weeks.
According to Zanussi, most Brits will use their dryer three times a week during the colder season.
This would cost you an average of £120 per year to run, compared to just £33 if you used a heated airer instead – a yearly saving of £87.
You can pick up a heated airer for as little as £29.99 from places like The Range.
5 Money-saving tips for autumn/winter
1. Draught-proof your home
It takes time and money to heat up your home, so it’s important that you do as much as you can to keep in the warmth. Close your doors and windows, and fill any gaps with a draught excluder.
2. Dial down your thermostat
According to Energy UK, turning down your thermostat by just one degree Celsius could cut your heating bill by up to 10%, and save you around £85 per year. Plus, if you don’t have a thermostat, installing one could save up to £70 per year!
3. Move furniture around
Make sure not big, bulky furniture like sofas are blocking radiators.
4. Wash clothes on a lower temp and add an extra spin
Unless it’s bedding, towels or really dirty items, dial down the temperature to 20 or 30 degrees, and do a double spin to remove excess water.
5. Heat the person not the home
There’s not point heating up a room that no one is sitting in, so be mindful about which radiators are on.