1. Install (or use) a programmable thermostat — If you have central heating or cooling in your home, using a programmable thermostat is a low cost first step to reducing your utility bills. A programmable thermostat automatically raises or lowers the temperature of your home at set times of the day. If you don’t have one, your plumber in Hull, AA Gas Services, can help.
2. Seal air leaks around your house – About 15-35% of the energy used to heat and cool the average home is lost due to air leaks that are easily fixable. Sealing and insulating the “envelope” of your home — your outer walls, ceiling, windows, doors, and floors — provides valuable savings. Properly air sealing cracks and openings in your home can significantly reduce heating and cooling costs, improve building durability, and create a healthier indoor environment. AA Gas Services can advise.
3. Insulate your attic or roof – Proper insulation is a key component of an energy efficient home. Older homes are often under insulated, and many new homes can also benefit from improved insulation. Consider asking your plumber in Hull, AA Gas Services, who can examine your current insulation and suggest whether you should invest in this project and how you can take advantage of any help available with the costs.
4. Lower your thermostat – The change of a few degrees is barely noticeable, but turning down your thermostat by just three degrees during the winter can save more than 15 percent off your total heating bill and a difference of five degrees can save up to 30 percent. Remember, you plumber in Hull advises that the most cost efficient settings are between 18 and 21 degrees!
5. Weather strip windows and doors – Instead of replacing windows and doors to keep the cold out, consider weather stripping your windows and doors, which will prevent draughts.
6. Open your shades and curtains – let the sun help heat your home for free.
7. Have your boiler and central heating system serviced regularly. An inefficient system is not only guaranteed to cost more to run, it is also much more likely to let you down when you need it most!
8. Lower the temperature of your water heater to 120 degrees – Water heaters require a lot of energy to get the water hot enough to use and to keep it hot. Each additional degree of heat requires more energy than the last. Bottom line – lowering your water heater temperature reduces the amount you spend on wasted energy.
9. Consult your plumber in Hull, AA Gas Services, for big savings – professional engineers can help you identify problems and recommend which improvements will give you the most cost savings and energy impact.
10. Don’t rely on the current unseasonal mild weather to keep your bills down this winter. What odds do you think a bookmaker will provide on no dip in the temperature between now and April? If you haven’t asked your plumber in Hull, AA Gas Services, to check out your system, there is still time. Just don’t leave it until it’s too late and a change in the weather catches you out!