Heating your home can account for over half of your energy bill – depending on where you live. Heat costs a lot, so you want to keep it inside for as long as you can, which makes insulation important.

There are easy things you can do right now to live more comfortably, reduce greenhouse pollution and cut your heating bill by as much as 40%.

Insulation is easy to install in your ceilings and can cut your energy costs by 30%. You can also put it under wooden floors and save an extra 5%. (Don’t insulate your floors if hot weather is more of a problem for you than cold.) If you’re renovating you can insulate walls as well, and save another 15%. When choosing insulation, the most important thing to look at is the R value; the higher it is, the better it insulates and the more you save. 

It’s also very important to choose the right kind of heating. Think about what areas you need to heat, how big they are and how long you need to heat them each day. If you’re only heating your living areas, use one or more high-efficiency space heaters. Gas heaters are cheaper to run and produce less greenhouse pollution than electric models. If you need to heat living areas by day and bedrooms by night, both for long periods, use a zoned central heating system. Wall-mounted radiant heaters or infra-red lamps are best for the bathroom. See [Related links] for help choosing a heating system.

 

 

Easy ways to keep your home warm and energy smart.

 

1. Insulate your roof.

 

And your walls if you can. A well-insulated home can be up to 5°C warmer in winter and costs a lot less to heat. If you can’t insulate your whole home right now, start with the main living areas.

 

2. Seal gaps around doors and windows.

 

Cold draughts from outside make your home uncomfortable and can increase heating costs by over 20%.  Put draught excluders on external doors and weather-sealing tape between windows and frames.

 

3. Draw the curtains.

 

Well-fitted curtains or other window coverings stop a lot of heat escaping – around 25% of heat loss is through windows. (A pane of glass allows 10 times more heat to escape than an insulated wall.)

 

4. Keep doors shut.

 

Don’t waste energy heating empty rooms – especially bathrooms and toilets with exhaust fans. Let your heating system work in a smaller area.

 

5. Set your thermostat at 18-20°C.

 

That’s for living areas. Don’t overheat your home, first set your thermostat as low as possible, and then increase the temperature gradually as the weather gets colder. A 1°C rise in temperature adds around 15% to your energy bill.

 

6. Use a ceiling fan.

 

They’re good in winter too; a low fan speed can move heated air down from the ceiling and spread the warmth.

 

7. Dress for the weather.

 

It sounds obvious, but if you want to wear a T-shirt round the house in winter, you’ll pay a lot more for heating. Dress warmly before you think about turning up the heater.

 

8. Don’t forget the clothes dryer.

 

Another energy drain during cold, wet weather is the clothes dryer. If you can’t dry your clothes outside, make sure you have an energy-efficient dryer. Compare energy rating labels when you buy – just 1 extra star can mean a 15% saving on running costs.

 

Further information 

 

Contact energy has an excellent section on their website relating to heating costs and saving tips.

 

The Energywise website is devoted to conserving energy and has lots of useful tips and advice.