Every year, winter ends up becoming quite an expensive time of year when annual bills are in question, and 2020 is looking likely to be more expensive than ever before. The outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic has kept homeowners throughout the UK locked inside their homes for large periods this year. And with a longer period being in our homes, the more money we're inevitably going to have to spend on keeping our families warm. 'Working from home' has transformed many of our daily routines, so Bog Standard Plumbing and Heating have pointed out a few tips that you can use to keep your gas bills down this winter.
Switch
to a cheaper energy tariff
This might seem like a simple solution. That’s because it is. So many people are reluctant to switch tariff because they fear that the process is either too complicated or the results are not worthwhile. The process is extremely simple and you can see how much you can save by using websites such as GoCompare or uSwitch. It’s easy and it’s the most effective way of saving money on your gas bill, that’s why we’ve put it at the top of our list.
Insulate your home
Insulating your loft or other areas of your home can cost, but the results are definitely worthwhile. You’ll be able to reduce the temperature on the thermostat by a degree or two, saving you a lot of money in the long-term.
Use tin foil
Place some tin foil behind your radiators. Tin foil will reflect the heat away from your walls and into the room. You can use proper heat reflecting foil available from most local DIY stores or you can use general kitchen foil – although the results from the latter aren’t quite as effective.
Use pipe lagging
Pipe-lagging is an extremely cheap form of insulation. Like tin foil, you can buy this from most local DIY stores. Wrap the pipe-lagging around any pipes that are in colder areas (either outside or in your garage) and keep the water that’s inside warmer for longer.
Remember to keep doors closed
Close the doors of rooms that are not in use. This will confine the heat into a smaller area. Whilst you’re at it, make sure to switch the radiators off any rooms that you are not using so that you don't waste energy.
Get your boiler serviced
Getting your boiler serviced has benefits in its own right, but most importantly, you can be confident that your boiler is running to its optimum efficiency by getting it serviced. This is a service that we offer throughout the West Midlands.
Curtains
Heat can easily enter/escape through windows. If you have curtains you can use them to your benefit. For instance, open them during the day to allow the natural heat from the sun (when it’s out, which is rare in the West Midlands, we know) and close them during the night to stop the heat escaping whilst you're tucked into bed.
Thermostat use
If you have a smart thermostat in place, you can set your ideal temperature and set the heating to come on at a particular time. We would recommend doing this to save wasting energy when nobody is in. It’s also important to understand what your ideal temperature is; if you can put the temperature down by a degree or two and still cope, do it!
Contact our gas engineers based in Stourbridge!
We hope these handy tips can help our customers based near Stourbridge keep warm for a low price during the winter months. In the meantime, if you’re concerned about your boiler, whether it’s making strange noises or you would like to get it serviced, please get in touch. We’re based in the West Midlands, covering areas such as Harborne, Dudley, Wolverhampton and Stourbridge.
Give us a call on 0330 113 2248 or fill out the contact form on the contact page of our website. We’ll look forward to hearing from you soon.