How to lower heating costs during the winter months

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How to lower heating costs during the winter months - Home Guide Expert
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How to lower heating costs during the winter months

During the winter months, many people worry about how they are going to cope with higher heating costs.  Our guide will give you ideas on how to cut your fuel costs this winter, how to save on utilities in the winter, how to cut down on gas bills, how to cut down on electricity bills and also find an array of winter energy-saving tips.  So, how to lower heating costs during the winter months?

Follow our guide:

1. Wrap up warm

Don’t crank the heating up in the evenings and walk around in a vest top.  Snuggle up with a blanket on the sofa invest in a comfy warm onesie and a decent pair of Ugg Slippers.

Ugg Slippers

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This quintessential house slipper is cast in soft, water-resistant suede with the plushest wool lining.

Warm Onesie

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Soft microfibre fleece.  Invest in a onesie with a lined hood for extra warmth and cosiness. 

2. Weatherproof your home

If you have single-pane windows, you will more than likely lose a lot of warmth, so if you can, replace them with double glazing.  Using Caulk around your window frames to ensure cracks are filled can also help keep the warmth in and the cold out.

Caulk

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For sealing and filling cracks and gaps.  For use around skirting boards ceiling cornice window and door frames, stair treads and risings and fixtures adjoining walls.  Can be used to fill damaged plaster.

Caulk Applicator Gun

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Professional caulk applicator/resin/sealant applicator with a hexagonal rod and re-enforced ring.  Works perfectly with caulk (above).  For instructions on use click here.

3. Replace light bulbs with energy-efficient bulbs

When you need to cut down on your electricity bills, replacing light bulbs with energy-efficient bulbs will help cut your electricity bill considerably.

Buy here

This bulb consumes 9W energy, emitting 820 lumens of light, serving as an effective replacement for 60W incandescent bulbs.  It can be widely used in the bedroom, living room, hallway.  The high-quality b22 bulb perfectly combined with aluminium and plastic, is not only lightweight but also has a strong heat dissipation capability.  High colour rendering (CRI > 82) provides the effects of vivid colour and extra warm light, and 240-degree beam angle makes the brightness diffuse to each corner, great for large area illumination.

4. Don’t leave your electrics on standby

If you are not using it, unplug it.

5. Turn down your thermostat and upstairs radiators

By turning down your thermostat just a couple of degrees, it could save you hundreds of pounds every year on your energy bills.  If you want to know how to cut down on gas bills, you could also turn down your radiators upstairs at least one notch, particularly if you are not home all day.  Heat rises, so if your property is well insulated, this can save you money throughout the winter months without compromising your property.

Invest in a Nest Learning Thermostat to help you save on your energy bills.  If you leave the heating on whilst you are out, you can remotely turn it off.

Image of a Nest Learning Thermostat

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Buying a Nest Learning Thermostat will save you hundreds of pounds a year.  We know, we have one!  It automatically turns the heating down after you leave the house to save energy.  It remembers your preferences and adjusts energy usage accordingly, so you only use what you need from the dial on remotely using a Nest App.

6. Don’t use your dishwasher every day

Use it every other day or make sure it is fully loaded before turning it on.

7. Turn down the water heating setting on your combination boiler and get your boiler regularly serviced

If it is set to maximum, turn that dial to 4.5 or 5, it will make a huge difference.  If you service your boiler, it may help you to save costs in the long run.  To find a plumber, click here.

8. Change the shower head on your shower

Investing in an energy-efficient shower head can help you to use up to 60% less hot water!

 

Shower Head, Magichome Upgraded 3-Layer Filtration Ionic Handheld Higher Pressure Water Saving 3 Modes Universal Bath Shower, Contains Additional Replaceable Stone

 

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This Amazon Best Seller is a must if you want to use less hot water to reduce your energy bills.  Magichome stone stream shower head has turbocharged technology and a water-saving pinhole nozzle design.  Help to increase pressure for low water pressure properties and produces a lower water consumption.  3 modes (1. Rainshower (very fine jets with lower pressure), 2. Massage shower (bigger and more pressured jet) and 3. Mixed shower (with both positions at the same time, leave the button in the middle position that you can choose)).  The beads reduce more than 30 mineralized substances, such as selenium, manganese, zinc, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, and potassium in water.  The mineralized ball in the showerhead will provide a pleasant feeling of well-being and save up to 50% of water while you shower.  The spheres introduced into your handle give off negative ions in the water that help restore body balance and skin pH, providing a pleasant feeling of relaxation and well-being.

Shower Head Hand Shower, 5 Jet Types, High Pressure Handheld High Pressure, with Stop Button Water-Saving Shower Head, Universal Handheld ShowerHeads

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This universal hand help showerhead has 5 jet types, high pressure with a stop button to save water.  It will also help you to clean your shower screen better!

9. Replace your fridge freezer, washing machine or tumble dryer with a AAA energy star rating

10. If you have a Tumble dryer

Purchase an energy-efficient Tumble Dryer.  Clean the lint after every load.  If you remove the clothes straight after the cycle has finished, you may also get away with not having to use the iron too!  To find out what types of tumble dryer there are, click here.  To find out what is the most energy-efficient Tumble Dryer, click here.

11. If you have a furnace

Clean the filter every other month, not only will it prolong its life, but it will increase the heat by 50%.

12. If your electricity is cheaper in the evenings

Use your washing machine, tumble dryer and water heater in the evenings.  You could even have your showers in the evenings and save money.

13. Check whether you can apply for a Warm Home Discount

For more guidance on this, click here.

Follow our guide on how to further reduce your bills here.

We hope you have found our winter energy-saving tips useful.

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