As the colder winter weather creeps in on us and we embrace the shorter days ahead, now is the perfect time to consider the heating efficiency of our homes.
With the countdown to Christmas upon us, many of us are already preparing our festive to-do lists. From buying gifts to food and drink for entertaining family and friends with Christmas and New Year’s Eve parties, it can be an incredibly expensive time.
To make things easier for yourself in future years, it could be worth looking at how you can reduce your energy bills so the annual festivities put a bit less of a strain on your finances.
Upgrade to a combination boiler
A combination boiler (also known as a combi boiler) is one of the most efficient heating systems available for your home. They can save you £300 a year and can supply hot water on demand, unlike boilers with water tanks that take ages to heat.
Due to their simple design, you can also save money on the installation process too! What’s more, they are easy to service and are more compact, making them great for smaller homes.
Double-glazing
There’s nothing worse than a draughty room in the winter, no matter how high your heating may be cranked up!
Upgrading your windows to UPVC windows is one of the easiest ways to improve your heating efficiency quickly. Investing in double-glazing could provide you with yearly savings on your heating bills.
As well as keeping the heat in, these windows shut the noise out – perfect if you live in a city centre or along a busy road.
We understand that having double-glazing installed on your property can be costly, so be sure to consider all the financial options available to you.
Insulate your walls
For further heat retention and soundproofing, ensure your walls are insulated as well as possible.
Around a third of the heat loss from most homes comes from poor wall insulation. But if you insulate a property that has cavity walls, you should start to see a return on your investment after around five years.
The bigger the house, the more expensive the installation will be. However, you could break up the cost by choosing to insulate your home in sections, rather than getting the whole building done in one go.