Thinking of ways to improve or/and best use your heating this winter? The following guide will discuss various approaches you may want to take. Let’s begin!
Bleed Your Radiators
As winter arrives, you should consider bleeding your radiators. You should do this every year in the late autumn or early winter.
If doing so DIY, follow the manufacturer’s instructions with all key steps, including turning off your heating before bleeding radiators. Also, ensure your heating is not scheduled to turn on during the process.
The purpose of bleeding your radiators is that they can remove air pockets within them and thus improve the overall efficiency of your heating system. While it’s worth bleeding your radiators annually ahead of the coldest months of the year, you should bleed radiators sooner if necessary.
Add a Smart Thermostat
Installing a smart thermostat is a great way of improving your heating system’s efficiency. The average cost of a smart thermostat between the cost of the device and paying an electrician to install one would be around £130 to £340.
Among the upsides of smart thermostats include:
- Improved energy efficiency
- Home heating is more tailored to your needs and wants
- Increased comfort
- Lowered energy bills
- Remote control of your home heating
- Reduced carbon footprint
- Improve the life expectancy of your heating system
Underfloor Heating
Installing underfloor heating is a more expensive but nonetheless highly appealing way of improving your heating system.
The cost of hiring professionals (which is required) for fitting underfloor heating will likely land somewhere in the region of £1,000 to £4,500, depending on the type and size of the system and whether it is being added to an existing property or a new build with the latter being more affordable.
Boiler Servicing
More than likely, your boiler already has an annual servicing scheduled. If this is the case, having it scheduled once a year will suffice unless you have concerns that warrant a second servicing within one year.
On the other hand, however, if your boiler has yet to be serviced within the last year, especially if there is none scheduled soon, you should have it serviced as soon as possible. Once this is done, schedule an annual servicing from then on.
A boiler servicing is important to protect the efficiency, safety and longevity of your boiler and heating system. Having your boiler serviced will likely prove key to keeping its warranty or guarantee valid.
Free and Budget-friendly Forms of Insulation
While it’s certainly possible to break the bank with improving household insulation (e.g. loft insulation or double-glazing), there are plenty of low-cost and even free ways of improving insulation.
To start with, here are insulation ideas that can cost nothing:
- For students, opting for nights out in the winter can reduce the need to use heating
- Don’t put clothes over radiators, as this can limit their effectiveness
- Try to avoid blocking radiators with furniture
And here are insulation ideas that are known for being budget-friendly:
- Add a British Standard Jacket to your hot water cylinder to insulate it
- Thermal curtains
- Fit draught excluders or utilise a draught-proofing kit in suitable parts of your home
- Fit plastic lining at your windows
- Seal skirting board cracks
- Add rugs atop wooden floors if suitable