Energy Saving Tips August 17, 2022 There are currently no deals that are meaningfully less expensive than the regulator's price cap, so reducing energy costs requires more than just finding cheaper tariffs. The primary way to save money during the current energy crisis is to use less, so consider adopting any of the simple strategies below. In an effort to help all homeowners save some money on their gas bills, our heating engineers have got a few top tips. We hope they help… Turn the thermostat down According to the National Energy Foundation, turning the temperature down on the thermostat by 1°C can help homeowners save £75 per year on their gas bill. Whilst your home will barely notice the difference, your bank account most definitely will. Reduce the temperature of the hot water produced by your combi boiler. If you have a combi boiler (meaning you do not have a hot water cylinder), you can easily adjust the hot water temperature – the temperature of the water that flows from your hot water taps. This temperature is often set too high by default, so a simple adjustment will prevent you from wasting money by heating water to a higher temperature than necessary.Reduce the temperature setting on your combi boiler You should also check the radiator heating temperature on your condensing combi boiler, as it is typically set too high by default. Often referred to as the output 'flow' temperature, this is the temperature of the water that circulates through the system and warms the radiators.You can adjust this with the control that is typically accompanied by a radiator icon. If the temperature is set too high, the boiler cannot operate in condensing mode, which wastes money. The Heating and Hotwater Industry Council estimates that lowering your boiler's temperature can save you up to 8% on your utility bills. Cover the floor Around 10% of all heat loss is lost through the ground floor. If you have hard floors, it might be best to purchase some rugs for the winter and add an extra layer of insulation. Think of it as a jumper for the floor. Block the loft hatch Whilst many people go to the effort of insulating their loft, they often undo their hard work by forgetting to block the draught coming through the hatch itself. Grab some insulation tape and place it across all of the gaps Lag your pipes If you have any exposed copper piping, place pipe-lagging around the entire pipe. The extra insulation will reduce the amount of heat escaping from your pipe and keep the warm water inside warmer, for longer. Pipe-lagging can be purchased from most DIY stores. Close the fireplaceIf you have a fireplace and it’s not in use, remember to keep the damper closed. Keeping it open is like keeping a window open. Tin-foilTin foil is a great reflector of heat. Put some behind your radiators and instead of warming your walls, reflect the heat back into your room. You can purchase purpose-built heat reflective foil from the local DIY store or you can use generic kitchen foil, although the results might slightly differ. P.S. We appreciate that tin foil might not look great in the home, so maybe try this tip when you haven’t got important guests coming round… Bleed the radiatorsIf you’ve noticed that your radiators have cold spots, it might be worth bleeding them. It’s not as bad as it sounds – you can source a bleed key from most local DIY stores and all you need to do is wait for the hissing noise to pass. The hissing noise is the sound of gas being released from the system. Hopefully through bleeding them you needn’t ramp up the temperature on the thermostat in an effort to squeeze heat through tiny warm spots. Open the curtainsIf the weather permits - granted, this is rarely the case across the UK - open the curtains during the day and let some natural light and warmth in – it’s free! Just remember to close them again at night. Also, tuck your curtains behind the radiators… Contact us for your heating needs in Rustington, Littlehampton...We hope we’ve helped you think about ways to save money on your energy bills. If you need a gas engineer to look at the heating in your home, get in touch with us at Shoreline Plumbing, Heating & Gas. You can send us a message using our contact form or call us on 01903 863224, 07584 093260 or 01243 884222. We'll look forward to hearing from you soon.