How to keep your home warm


In a typical home, space and water heating can take up to or more than half of the fuel bills. With energy gills on the rise, there are measures we can adopt to make our heating systems run more efficiently, reduce wastage, reduce bills, and help cut our carbon emissions. 
- Set the programmable thermostat as low as is comfortable in the winter, ideally between 18° - 21°Celsius. 
-  Use radiator heat reflectors (currently priced at £7.99 for a 470mm x 4m. (1.88m²) sheet in Screwfix).  
-  Close internal doors to keep the heat in the rooms you use most, and reduce the amount of heat moving into colder areas.
-  If your house is not damp, try turning the heat down a fraction. You will not feel the difference and your bills will be cheaper. 
-  Bleed the radiator valve (to release trapped air) annually.  It doesn’t require a professional plumber, but should be done by someone familiar with the process. 
-  Do not place furniture or curtains in front of radiators as it blocks the heat. 
-  To keep the heat inside the room, fill up gaps to stop draughts.  Place draught-excluders on your front door, letterbox, and keyhole.
-  Use rugs and thermally-lined curtains for extra warmth in the home, especially where there are draughty windows or gaps in floorboards.  Close curtains when it gets dark to keep the heat in. 
-  Do not dry clothes on the radiator as it blocks the heat and produces moisture in the air that could cause damp or mould. 
-  Thermostats should be placed away from items that give off heat (like radiators or TVs) and away from doors, windows, and draughty areas.  They should be placed on an interior wall, 5 feet above the floor, in a room that is frequently used by the occupants.  
-  During colder months, open curtains to south-facing rooms in the house for solar heat gain.