Insulation

It is estimated that a non-insulated home loses about a quarter of its heat through the roof and another third through the walls. Insulating your loft, attic, or flat roof, as well as the walls will drastically lower heat loss and heating costs. The roof insulation is usually relatively easy and inexpensive to complete, and it is even possible to complete the works yourself, so long you have access to the roof. No building regulations approval is required either. When it comes to the walls insulation, however, things may be a bit more complicated, and it is best to contact specialists to carry out the works for you.

Draught proofing

Another way to reduce the heat escape and lower your bills is draught proofing. Think of places surrounding doors, windows, floor boards, fixtures, cracks in the walls, as well as exposed pipes, and by simply sealing these openings, you will prevent cold air from entering your home. There are many ways you can close the mentioned openings, but probably the easiest to find on the market would be self-adhesive foams strips, silicone sealants and fillers.

Keep furniture away from radiators

We know that placing furniture next to the wall is helpful to save space, however, the radiators generate heat, and if furniture is placed too close to them, it can obstruct the flow of warm air around the room. If you have a sofa for an instance, standing in front of your radiator, you may notice that heating is uneven, with some areas of the room being too hot while others remaining cold. And, to compensate, you may end up having to increase the thermostat temperature, which in result will increase your energy bills.

Install TRV’s on your radiators

Installing thermostatic radiator valves on your radiators can help to improve the energy efficiency of your heating system and save you money on your energy bills.

By installing such, you can set the temperature for each room individually, which means you only heat the rooms that you’re using, rather than heating the whole house, and therefore, saving you money on the energy bills, as no energy is wasted to heat rooms that are not being used.

In addition, using thermostatic valves can help to reduce your carbon footprint, as you’re using less energy to heat your home.

Bleed your radiators frequently

It is recommended to bleed your radiators frequently, to keep them operating efficiently. If not done, you may notice that it takes them longer to warm up, resulting in uneven heating in the room. To find more about bleeding your radiators, please see our simple guide.

Some additional ideas

Here are some other suggestions that may help reducing your bills:

• Upgrade your existing shower heads with water-saving ones – these restrict the volume of water that flows through them whilst retaining the sensation of pressure that a normal shower has. They are suitable for use if your shower takes water directly from the hot water tank or boiler.
• Switch to low flow taps – these work by restricting the flow of water through the tap, typically by using a small aerator or flow restrictor. This means that less water is used per minute, without compromising on the pressure or performance of the tap. Suitable to install in both the kitchen and bathroom sinks.
• Consider installing reduced-capacity baths – do keep in mind that a quick shower is always more water-efficient.
• Low flush toilets – traditional toilets typically use between 3 and 5 gallons (11 to 19 liters) of water per flush. Low flush toilets, on the other hand, typically use 1.6 gallons (6 liters) or less per flush. This can add up to significant water savings over time, particularly in households with multiple occupants. These work by using a combination of gravity and pressure to move waste through the toilet’s trapway and into the sewer system. Some low flush toilets also use special features like dual-flush buttons or a pressure-assisted flushing mechanism to further reduce water usage.

For more information about the services we offer, and assistance on how to save more on your monthly household bills, please get in touch.