Tips For Saving On Energy Bills

• You may have noticed that your energy bills are always on the up.

  The energy companies just don’t seem to care about the consumer, all they care about is profits.

  

  
  

  So here are a couple of tips on how to save on those energy bills.

  Most homes these days have some form of central heating installed to keep you warm in the winter time,

  they also supply you with all the hot water you need as and when you need it.

  Tip 1 is to have the boiler serviced at least once a year.

  The boiler is the main heat source and seems to get overlooked until it stops working.

  By having the boiler serviced the engineer is checking that everything is working 100%, just as it was when it left the factory.

  A boiler left unserviced over time will start to use more energy and you will notice your energy bills start to rise.

  Whatever type of boiler you may have, LPG, Natural gas,

  Oil even electric it should have an annual service to keep it in good working order.

  Tip 2, If your home has water filled radiators fitted.

  The water inside the whole of the system should be checked to ensure it is clean and protected from internal corrosion.

  When a water-filled heating system is installed,

  the water should first be flushed out to remove any debris and flux residue that may be present.

  Once the water is clean, an inhibitor should be added, this will stop the internal corrosion and keep the water clean.

  Over time the inhibitor dilutes down and should be topped up to keep the system protected.

  A wet central heating system with dirty water inside will put a bigger demand on the boiler to heat your home than it would with clean water.

  You will notice over time that it takes longer to heat your home than it did before.

  So it’s always best to have the water checked while the boiler is being serviced.

  Tip 3 Energy saving controls.

  Most new build homes now come fitted with thermostatic control valves to all of the radiators as standard.

  This gives total independent control of each room,

  you set the thermostat to the desired temperature and once that temperature is reached it will close the valve and stop the flow of heat.

  As the temperature falls the valve will reopen and start to heat the room again.

  These thermostatic valves will help cut those energy bills if used in the correct way.

  Having a smart thermostat fitted to your heating system will also help cut down those energy bills.

  They connect to the internet via your broadband and collect details of the weather in your area.

  They will then start learning about how long it takes to heat your home to your desired temperature and adjust the boiler as needed.

  Some even sense when the home is unoccupied and adjust the heating to very low temperature or even switch off.

  These smart thermostats can be fitted to the most central heating system and can be controlled via your smartphone.

  Tip 4 Insulation

  Good Insulation of your home will help keep the energy bills down.

  If your property has a loft make sure it is fully covered with insulation,

  as heat rises naturally you will lose a lot of heat through the loft if not insulated.

  You can buy radiator insulation that you fix behind the radiator,

  it will help reflect the heat out and help make the room heat up a little quicker.

  If you have radiators covers fitted make sure they have sufficient openings so the heat can flow freely.

  The most common fault with these covers is they have no opening on the top part and because heat rises the heat is blocked from entering the room.

  Radiator covers can reduce the heat needed to heat the room by as much as 40%

  If your covers do have an opening on the top make sure they are kept clear so you have a good movement of air.

  These are just a few tips on how to keep those energy bills down, so lets recap.

  Have the boiler serviced at least once a year, don’t forget to use someone who is registered for your type of boiler.

  Get the water inside the heating system checked to ensure it is free of corrosion and clean, top up the inhibitor.

  Consider having some form of Energy saving controls installed.

  Last but not least, insulation, ensure your home is well insulated otherwise those energy bills will keep rising.