How to reduce your heating bills

How to reduce your heating bills – tips from CW Plumbing and Heating Services

With the cost of living constantly rising, it’s important to keep an eye on your expenditure, and one of the easiest ways of keeping your living costs down is to learn how to reduce your heating bills, thereby saving money on heating.

But reducing the cost of your heating doesn’t mean reducing how warm you keep your home, or indeed your workplace. Its more about making sure that you aren’t losing any heat unnecessarily, and that you aren’t wasting heat.

Is your hot water tank well insulated?

Most modern hot water tanks are already sufficiently well insulated by the manufacturers, but some older hot water tanks may not be. If you have a tank which stores hot water, it will save you money if it is well insulated. Fitting a bespoke insulation jacket is cheap and easy, and it’s something that we here at CW Plumbing and Heating Services will be happy to do for you. If you have a combi boiler fitted this will heat and supply hot water only on demand.

If you’re a senior citizen you may be able to take advantage of the “Affordable Warmth” section of the government energy saving ECO scheme. For those who qualify, they can have a new high performance, energy efficient boiler installed for free. Click here for more information.

Reduce hot water temperature

Some people have their hot water temperature set too high; so high that you cannot keep you hand under it when it’s pouring from the taps. Unless you have a dish-washer that needs a higher temperature setting, reset the control to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Reducing hot water temperature to this sort of level can save you in the region of 7% to 11% off your heating bill.

Reduce air temperature in the home

As with hot water temperature, many people have the air temperature in their homes set too high. If you reset it to around 68 degrees Fahrenheit, that should be quite comfortable, and can reduce your heating bills by approximately 5%.

At night time, having the setting reset at 55 degrees or less, and also if you are leaving the premises for any extended period of time, can save you somewhere between 5% and 20%.

If you don’t already have a programmable thermostat fitted, consider having one installed. It will save you money in the long run, and again its something that we here at CW Plumbing and Heating Services will be happy to do for you.

Sealing gaps

A surprising amount of heat can be lost through any gaps where pipes go through walls, and air gaps around windows and doors. Check around your home or your business premises, and if you find any, seal them with caulk. If the gaps are particularly large, you can buy bespoke products from your local DIY hardware store.

Replacing furnace filters

If you have a gas-fired furnace, ensure that the filters are regularly cleaned and/or replaced. Blocked furnace filters will reduce the efficiency of your water heater and drive your fuel bills up accordingly.

CW Plumbing and Heating Services – for all your plumbing needs

If you live or work in the London area, CW Plumbing and Heating Services can handle all of your plumbing needs. We also operate a 24/7 emergency call-out service. To contact us, call 020 7733 6812, or 07949 095 184.