Winter Heating Tips

We are now coming into the coldest part of the year, and in just a few weeks we may well be seeing snow settle on the ground at temperatures continue to fall. By now you’ve probably already turned your heating on and are enjoying feeling toasty warm while you watch the night draw in. But did you know that you may be wasting a lot of money, or potentially causing yourself a lot of problems further down the line, just in the way you’re heating your home? To help you out, here are 4 winter heating tips to help you beat the cold and the heating bill.

Keep Radiators Clear

We all know that things get moved around a lot at Christmas. We need to make room for the Christmas tree, all the presents, and the extended table so the family can gather around for Christmas lunch. But you must make sure that nothing gets shoved in front of a radiator, or placed there for decoration around the festive period. Desks, chairs, sofas, trees – anything placed in front of your radiator is going to do 2 things. The first is it is a potential fire hazard, which is the last thing you want at any time of year! The second is that it will significantly reduce the efficiency of your radiators since the heat will accumulate behind the object and it won’t be able to disperse evenly into the room. Instead, keep all radiators clear and with a good amount of space around them so that they can do their job properly.

Don’t Keep the Heating On

It can be incredibly tempting to keep the heating running 24/7 and make sure your house never feels even slightly cold. Or to crank the heating up even higher than you normally would, and leave it running all day long. But this approach will cost you a tremendous amount of money (especially with energy prices on the rise), will cause more damage to the environment through increased carbon emissions, and isn’t good for your system in the long run. To give you an idea of just how much this could cost, every degree you increase your heating by adds around 6% to your heating bill each month. So if you nudge the heating from 20°C to 24°C, you’re increasing your heating bill by 25%. So if you’re only feeling a little bit chilly, your first option should be a jumper and thick socks, before turning the heating up.

Ventilate Your Home Properly

Common sense might say that you want to keep all of your windows and doors shut as much as possible during this time of year. After all, opening them up will let all of the hot air out, as your mum always said! But the problem with that is your home needs proper ventilation, especially in winter. At this time of year, the humidity in your home will skyrocket, mainly due to you having the heating on and more people in the house. So to avoid the problems that come hand in hand with high humidity (mould, breathing problems, etc.), you need to open your windows fully for a few minutes each day. Opening them just a crack won’t cut it – fling them open and let the air in for around 5 minutes once a day. This is particularly important in the bedroom, where a lot of humidity will gather overnight and over time will actually make it harder to sleep. Opening your windows for just 5 minutes a day won’t significantly cool down your home, and your heating will soon pick up the difference and get you feeling warm again.

Switch to Electric Heating

Electric heating is an incredibly versatile heating method, and it can be a huge benefit in the winter. Not only is it more energy-efficient and carbon-neutral, but it can be pre-programmed with smart heating controls to turn on and off even if you aren’t home, so you can make the most of your heating. Electric radiators will also bring your energy bills down, and if you decide to zone your home so that you’re only heating the rooms you need to use, you can save even more money!

If you’re interested in switching to electric heating this year, we would love to help. We sell a wide range of electric radiators and heaters, so we can always find something that matches your needs, décor, and budget. If you would like to know more, just get in touch with the team today.

Contact us by calling 01252 560770 or you can e-mail us at enquiries@electricheatingexpert.co.uk to find out more about our product range and services.