Gas central heating is one of the biggest expenses for many households, but there are a number of things you can do to save money on your bills. Here are a few tips:
1. Insulate your home
One of the best ways to save money on your gas central heating bills is to insulate your home. This will help to keep the heat in and reduce the amount of energy you need to use to heat your home. There are a number of different ways to insulate your home, including:
- Loft insulation: Loft insulation is one of the most effective ways to insulate your home. It is relatively inexpensive to install and can save you a significant amount of money on your energy bills.
- Cavity wall insulation: Cavity wall insulation is another effective way to insulate your home. It is more expensive to install than loft insulation, but it can save you even more money on your energy bills.
- Solid wall insulation: Solid wall insulation is the most expensive type of insulation, but it is also the most effective. It is particularly suitable for older homes with solid walls.
2. Use a programmable thermostat
A programmable thermostat allows you to set different temperatures for different times of the day. This can help you to save money on your gas central heating bills by reducing the amount of time that your boiler is running.
For example, you could set your thermostat to a lower temperature when you are asleep or when you are away from home. You could also set your thermostat to a higher temperature when you are at home and using your heating system.
3. Close the curtains at night
Closing the curtains at night can help to keep the heat in and reduce the amount of energy you need to use to heat your home.
Curtains can also help to reduce draughts, which can also help to save you money on your energy bills.
4. Turn down the thermostat when you’re not using a room
If you are not using a room, turn down the thermostat. This will help you to save money on your gas central heating bills.
You could also consider turning off the radiators in rooms that you are not using.
5. Use a draught excluder
A draught excluder is a strip of material that you can place across the bottom of a door to stop draughts from coming in.
Draught excluders are inexpensive to buy and can help you to save money on your gas central heating bills.
6. Keep your radiators clear of furniture
If you have furniture in front of your radiators, it will stop the heat from reaching the room.
Keep your radiators clear of furniture so that the heat can circulate freely around the room.
Additional tips for saving money on your gas central heating bills
- Get your boiler serviced annually: This will help to keep your boiler running efficiently and effectively.
- Bleed your radiators regularly: This will help to remove any air bubbles from your system, which can improve efficiency and reduce noise.
- Check your boiler pressure regularly: The pressure should be between 1 and 1.5 bar. If it’s too low, you can top it up using the filling loop. If it’s too high, you can release some pressure using the bleed valve.
- Insulate your pipes: This will help to keep heat in and reduce energy bills.
By following these tips, you can save money on your gas central heating bills. Even small changes can make a big difference, so it’s worth taking the time to implement them.
Here are some additional tips that you can follow to save even more money on your gas central heating bills:
- Use a lower temperature: Every degree lower that you set your thermostat can save you up to 10% on your energy bills.
- Take shorter showers: Showers account for a significant proportion of your energy usage, so take shorter showers to save money.
- Turn off appliances when you’re not using them: Even when appliances are turned off, they can still use energy. Turn off appliances when you’re not using them to save money.
- Wash clothes in cold water: Heating water is a major expense, so wash your clothes in cold water whenever possible.
- Dry your clothes outdoors: Clothes dryers use a lot of energy, so dry your clothes outdoors whenever possible.
By following these tips, you can significantly reduce your gas central heating bills.
