Heating experts share 9 tips to keep warm while saving money – and it’s time to say goodbye to your hot water bottle
IN Britain we pay more for energy than anywhere else in the world so it only makes sense for us to find the savviest of hacks to try and keep them down.
Thankfully, Channel 4’s Heat Your Home For Less shares nine tips to keep warm while keeping energy bills down.
Adam Chapman, a heating engineer for twenty years, reveals that turning down your boiler flow temperature can save you up to £200 a year.
Look for a radiator symbol on modern boilers on the panel – most are set to 80°C but 60 will suffice and save you a shed load of cash.
You can also turn down your central heating for extra savings, even if you turn it down by 1°C you can save 10% on your bills.
It’s also a good idea to check if you’re on the best tariff, you can use Uswitch to see if you’re on the best deal – put your postcode in and your annual energy bill and it will compare companies for you.
Once your home is efficiently heated, it’s time to stop the heat from getting out of your home.
Heat often escapes through windows, doors, and exterior walls but don’t fret, there are plenty of ways to solve the issue.
Draught stoppers are ideal to stop cold air coming into your home as well as draught-proof curtains.
You can even make your own draught stopper for doors using an old towel or blanket.
Plugging a chimney with an old duvet – if you don’t use a fireplace can also help you save 10% of your heating bill as well as a letter box draught excluder to stop breezes coming through.
For windows and door frames, draught tape is a simple and cheap solution to keep the cold air out and hot air in.
Contrary to belief, opening your windows during winter can actually warm your house faster and save you money.
How? The Germans open all the windows for three minutes in their house to get rid of humidity in the house and then close them again.
Getting rid of the damp air means your house can warm up quicker, so you won’t have to have the heating on for as long.
If you’re adamant to keep the heating off this winter there are some handy tricks to keep you warm without it – however one expert warns against using a hot water bottle.
An electric blanket can cost less than 1p to run for an hour and is currently on sale for £28 in Asda – much cheaper than putting the heating on while keeping you toasty and cheaper than filling a hot water bottle.
It can cost 4-6p to heat a kettle for your hot water bottle – significantly pricier than putting on an electric blanket.
You can also try wearing thermals at home to lock in your body temperature..
How does thermal clothing keep you warm?
Thermal clothing keeps you warm by trapping air near your body and preventing heat loss.
It’s made from materials like polyester, merino wool, fleece, or down that are good at insulating and wicking away moisture.
Trapping air
The fabric creates a layer of insulation by trapping air, which is a poor conductor of heat. This prevents heat from escaping through conduction, convection, and radiation.
Wicking away moisture
Thermal clothing is breathable and absorbs sweat from your skin, which helps prevent you from getting damp and cold.
Regulating body temperature
Thermal clothing keeps you warm in cold weather, but it’s also breathable enough to prevent overheating during physical activity.
Design features
Some thermal clothing has panels or zones that provide extra warmth to areas like your chest, back, and knees