With energy prices increasing and finances still tight, finding ways to save on heating have been at the top of my list lately. While I have to turn the heating on every now and then, mainly to make sure my daughter’s room doesn’t get too cold, I don’t want it on all the time. Here are my simple steps to save money on my heating bills.
1. Keep the Oven Open After Cooking
Since the oven stays warm after cooking, instead of closing the door we’ve started to keep it open. The heat then escapes into the kitchen. The whole house will not be heated with this but it is a small fix, especially since we eat our meals at the table in the kitchen.
2. Wear More Clothes
Before I reach for the button to turn the heating on, I put on another layer of clothes – and do the same for my daughter. This could be a pair of tights underneath my trousers or an extra pair of socks or a sweatshirt over my top. Last year, I wore fingerless gloves while working to avoid putting the heating on! There is also the option of more blankets or taking the duvet downstairs if you decide to have a relaxing TV day.
3. Snuggle Together
The winter is the perfect time to snuggle together and keep warm. Body heat is an excellent way to stay warm and helps to spend quality time with the people you love.
4. Use a Hot Water Bottle
I always place hot water bottles in the bed on an evening, including in my daughter’s bed, so there’s no need to have the electric blankets on. They can also be used during the day. I often have one on my lap while I work or behind my back to help keep me warm.
5. Move Around More
Activity will help the body heat up naturally and will help you stay fit. It’s common to stay in one place when it is cold but this will make you colder! Get up and dance around the house, go for a walk outside or do the housework!
6. Buy a Draught Excluder
Heat is often lost through the gaps in the doors and windows. A simple fix for the doors is to buy a draught excluder – and there are plenty of fun ones online. These are placed at the bottom of the door to prevent the heat from escaping through that gap.
7. Tape Over Gaps in the Window and Vents
During the winter, it is unlikely that you will need too many windows open and you will not use all the vents. Tape them up to stop the breeze coming through them and stop the heat from escaping.
8. Close Doors Behind You
As a child, I would often get asked if I’d been raised in a barn because I’d walk into a room and not close the door. Closing the door keeps the heat in the room and helps to make it warmer quicker, so if you do have the heating on, it will not need to be on as long.
9. Turn the Heaters Off in Rooms Not in Use
Rooms are not in use all the time, so turn the heaters off when you do not need them on. We tend to have the heater in the kitchen off all the time since it is never needed. If you cannot turn them off – or you want to heat the room slightly before the night – turn them down to a low. The less heat a radiator has to give, the less energy you will use.
10. Set Your Heating on a Timer
When you do need to put the heating on, there is no need for it to be on 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You may be out of the house, there may be other ways to stay warm, or you may be asleep. Set a timer for your heating to go on and off. We have ours set for just before we get up for a couple of hours and then just before my husband gets back from work for a couple of hours. I sometimes have to put it on through the day, but that is mainly to heat my daughter’s room if it has been very cold.
There is no need to freeze in the house, but you do not have to spend a fortune on heating, either. With these simple tips, you could use less heating, keep warm and enjoy quality family time together. They help to keep our heating bills to a manageable and reasonable amount; the only reason we spend a little extra is because there is a six-month-old in the house.
How do you save on heating?
I am happy that I found your blog. We do many of these thing to save on heating.
Good tips! I like the hot water bottle idea. I will have to find mine! Currently on my blog is a giveaway for a Nest thermostat, which is a great way to save energy!