Stay warm this winter without the extra expense
Written by Paul Buchanan on Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:14:04 GMT
The winter of 2009/10 is shaping up to be one of the coldest for many years, with many regions of the UK also experiencing record snowfall. So, during the many days and nights of sub-zero temperatures the challenge for most people is to keep warm without running up a massive heating bill.
As it gets colder it’s tempting to simply turn up the heating thermostat. However, this is the easiest way to lose control of your heating bill and is not necessary. Simply maintain the thermostat between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit (18 – 21 degrees Celsius) and pull on another pair of socks or a jumper to make your body more heat efficient, rather than turning up the heat. Indeed, donning plenty of layers of warm clothing and even wearing scarves and hats makes more sense that turning up the heat. Also, if you are wrapped up you may even be able to reduce the thermostat setting which will proportionately reduce your overall heating bill.
Similarly, rather than heating water on a timer that will soon get cold again, only heat water when required. If you have an adjustable thermostat on your hot water boiler then set it around 49 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit) which is easily warm enough to supply sufficiently hot water.
It is tempting to leave the heating on overnight when it is extremely cold, but there is no sense in heating the entire house when everyone is tucked up in bed. Buy thicker duvets or use more blankets instead and wear bedclothes rather than heat the house.
Whether you use gas or electricity heating, keep a tight rein on any automatic timings. Make sure your heating is timed to go off during the week when you leave the house, and come back on just in time to make the warm comfortable when you return. Alternatively, in extremely cold weather it may be better to just turn the thermostat right down and prevent any opportunity for pipes to get freezing cold.
Some other ways to reduce your heating bill is to maximise heat that is already in the house but not coming directly from heating. For example, after using the oven open the door to allow any accumulated heat to escape into the kitchen and help warm the room.
If you have a particularly hot shower or bath and turn on the ventilation unit make sure you turn it off as soon as the steam and humidity has dispersed as you will also be venting the heat out of the house. Similarly, if you open any windows to do the same job make sure you return to close them after a short time. Or, you could just open the bathroom door and let the steam and heat disperse throughout the rest of the house.
Just follow a few of these tips and you will save money on your heating bills over the winter.
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