As winter draws near, we also need to start considering cranking up the heat during the daytime, which can significantly reduce our energy use, heating costs, and carbon footprint. In order to assist individuals in using less energy at home and saving money on their bills and carbon emissions this winter, experts, including estate agents in Winchester, have added some energy-saving advice for cold weather.

Draughts

You will lose some heat through draughts around doors and windows, cracks in the floor, or up the chimney, if you have one unless your house is quite new. Draught-proofing done professionally may run you about £200 for materials and installation for your entire home, but you’d save about £25 a year on energy costs. A chimney draught excluder might reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 70 kg and cost an additional £17 annually.

Invest in new heating controls

A typical household spends more than half of its energy budget on heating and hot water. Heating controls can be upgraded or installed without replacing your boiler. If your controls are older than 14 years old, consider this. You may minimise your energy use and save about £75 a year by installing thermostatic radiator valves, a programmer, and a room thermostat and using these controls effectively. By making you aware of how much energy you consume, installing a smart metre may also aid in energy conservation.

Lower the thermostat

By using room thermostats, you can keep your house from getting too warm. When the room reaches the temperature you specify, they turn on the heating; they then turn it off until the temperature falls. The lowest comfortable setting on your thermostat should be between 18 and 21 degrees Celsius. When it is cooler outside, you don’t need to raise the thermostat because the house will warm to the desired temperature on its own. By lowering the temperature in your room by only one degree, you may cut your heating costs by £60 and reduce your household’s carbon footprint by 310 kg per year.

Insulation keeps heat inside

We’ve looked at ways to manage your home’s heating, but you also need to consider how to maintain the heat in your home. Making sure you have adequate insulation on your solid walls or hollow walls could help keep heat inside and reduce your energy costs. About a third of the heat lost in an uninsulated home escapes through the walls. You can be losing heat from the bottom of your house if you live in a house, bungalow, or ground-floor apartment. You may save roughly £40 a year by insulating under the floors. A good approach to stop heat from escaping through the top of your house and cut down on energy use is to insulate the loft or roof.

Replace your outdated boiler

Modern boilers use less energy than their predecessors. If your boiler is more than ten years old, you should think about replacing it with a condensing boiler because they are more efficient. Although boiler replacement costs might vary, a basic gas boiler replacement plus thermostatic radiator valves will normally cost around £2,300. (excluding radiators). A replacement oil boiler might cost about £3,100.

Insulate pipes

Pipe insulation can help your home’s pipes retain more heat, allowing your water to stay hotter for longer while using less electricity to heat it. The exposed pipes between your hot water cylinder and boiler are covered by a foam tube. Simply select the appropriate size from a DIY store, wrap it around the pipes, and you’re done. Your annual energy costs can be reduced by about £10 thanks to pipe insulation. Although you should be able to perform this yourself, a professional may be required if your pipes are difficult to access.

Lighting

This winter, especially while many of us continue to work from home owing to Covid-19 restrictions, you might save electricity by switching to energy-efficient lights like LED spotlights. LEDs are available in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and fixtures; if the typical household switched to LEDs for all of its lights, it might save up to £40 annually. Additionally, always remember to switch off your lights when not in use! This will aid in lowering your daily energy consumption and may possibly save you up to £15 a year on your energy bill.