How to save money on heating your home this autumn

Energy prices fell by 7% in July for 21 million households in England, Scotland and Wales. This resulted in a typical annual household bill now being £1,720 instead of £1,849 – a reduction of £129.

Maximum energy prices are determined by a price cap set by the energy regulator Ofgem. The current cap is in effect from July 1st to September 30th, with some analysts forecasting a further 1% cut when the next price cap is announced for October.

However, despite these reductions, energy prices still remain hundreds of pounds higher than they were before the Covid pandemic, and are unlikely to fall significantly over the next few years. The good news is that there are quite a few things that we can all do to keep our energy bills as low as possible. 

Here are ten ways to save money on heating your home this autumn.

Turn your thermostat down

Whether you have just one thermostat for the whole of your home, or separate thermostats in each room, turning them down just a little can be a good way to save money. In fact, according to The Energy Saving Trust if you turn down your main thermostat by just 1 degree, you could save around 10% on your energy bills.

Time your heating carefully

Most heating systems are on a timer, so think carefully about when you do and don’t need the heating to be on.

One popular idea is to keep the heating turned on low all the time. The reasoning behind this is that most energy is used by your heating system when it starts up and is being heated to the required temperature. This spike of energy could potentially be avoided if it is on all the time. But, according to The Energy Saving Trust, doing this is likely to cost more because your home will constantly lose some of the heat from within, so your boiler will have to work harder – and cost more – to replace that heat.

So you are more likely to save money by setting the timers to heat your home only when needed. For example, shortly before you get up in the morning and before the family starts returning home at the end of the day. 

Don’t overheat your water

Still on the topic of controlling temperatures and timings, make sure you also apply these principles to heating your water. 

If your hot water is set to come on for the same timings as your heating, this is probably far too much. Most households probably just need it on for around an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening. But it’s worth experimenting with gradually reducing the time that your water heater is on so that you find the minimum level for your needs. It’s also worth noting that insulating your water cylinder – for example by surrounding it with an insulation jacket – will keep your water hotter for longer.

Most heating controls enable you to control heating and hot water separately, but if yours does not, it may be worth considering replacing it with a smart heating control that will give you much more flexibility about daily programming for both heating and hot water.

You can also save money by lowering the temperature your water is heated to. Most homes have the flow temperature – the temperature of the water that your boiler uses to heat – set too high. Turning the temperature down slightly will not be noticeable but is another good way to save money on energy bills. 

Make full use all the heat in your home

A very helpful tip is to think about all the other sources of heat in your home and use them to the full. For example during a typical day you may use your oven, shower, bath, washing machine, tumble dryer or dishwasher. 

After using any of these, leave doors to appliances and bathrooms open to allow the heat to circulate round the nearby areas. Also don’t overuse fans as this can cool the air down too quickly and prevent you benefitting from the residual heat.

Make the most of natural light

As well as using all sources of heat, make the most of natural light. If you open all curtains and blinds during the day, your home will benefit from the heat of the sun, even if the amount of light seems very weak. 

Conversely, once it gets dark, shut all curtains and blinds to keep out cold air.

Prevent heat escaping from your home

As well as letting warmth and light into your home from outside, make sure that you prevent heat escaping back outside again. Otherwise you are paying for heat that is not being used. To save money, you may want to consider adding secondary glazing to your windows to reduce the amount of heat that can escape through them..

Also make sure that you block any sources of drafts in your home such as fireplaces, around windows or under doors. A good way to check your home for drafts is to light candles in various places around your home and see if there is any change to the direction of the smoke that would indicate a draft. If so, you need to either find a way to seal the draft, or consider adding some kind of insulating material around the whole area. 

Check for potential problems outside your home

It’s also worth having a good look around outside your home to see if there are any potential problems that could drain heat from your home. For example is your boiler flue clear of obstruction, are your pipes free from damage, and are they insulated. 

Ensuring all external elements of your heating system are fully functioning will keep your heating system safe and operating at its best level of performance. 

Make sure your radiators are working fully

If you have radiators, you need to make sure that you are giving them every chance to work fully. 

If there is trapped air in the radiators this will prevent the hot water from circulating round as efficiently as it should. As a result, you are likely to find that some parts of the radiator are cold. Removing trapped air from a radiator is known as ‘bleeding’ radiators and is an easy way to save money on your energy bills by preventing energy being wasted on heating only part of a radiator.

It’s also important to keep the area around radiators clear so that warm air can flow around the room. So don’t cover your radiators or surround them too closely with furniture, curtains or other items.

If your radiators are on external walls, you might also want to consider radiator reflectors. These are heat-reflective panels – usually made of foil – that can be placed behind your radiators to help reflect heat back into the room. Radiator reflector kits are easy to buy or you could make your own from foil insulation. 

Get expert help and advice

Even if you do all the above, there are times when you may benefit from expert help and advice. 

Whatever kind of heating system you have, it is advisable to have it checked regularly by an expert. Some home insurance policies include this as part of their service, or you may be able to take out an annual maintenance agreement. But regular checks are worth arranging to ensure that your heating is operating at its best.

It’s also worth taking advice as to cost-cutting measures with your heating system. For example, advice on the best type of insulation to reduce your costs. Also check out the latest government initiatives on energy grants for homes on the Gov UK Help to Heat page.

Add more layers

Last but not least, do all that you can to keep warm by natural means as well as depending on heating. Rather than turn the heating up if you feel cold, you can save money by putting on one or two extra layers or wrapping up in a blanket instead, especially if it’s only for a short period of time.

By combining this approach with wise use of heating and hot water you should hopefully soon start to see a difference in your energy bills.

We hope that the ideas in this article help you to find ways to save money on heating your home this autumn. 

For more ways to save money and cut the costs of everyday living, check back here soon with us at Loans 2 Go.