Some simple winter heating tips...

WITH the cold weather set to last for at least another three months, it’s no harm to recap on some of the finer points when it comes to retaining precious heat in your home. The average spend a year is upwards of €600 to keep a home heated. That’s a lot of money, which is exactly why it makes sense to be wise and resourceful with your home heating costs.

Getting the best value for your oil, coal, turf and blocks is only part of the solution, however. To tackle winter heat retention properly you must also ensure that you take a few simple precautions to get value for money. Did you know that around 40% of heat is lost through cavity walls? Or that 25% of heat can escape through a roof that is poorly insulated? Did you know that a well fitted jacket/blanket around your hot water tank can retain hot water for up to 15 to 20 hours?

Home insulation - interior and exterior - is well worth considering if you haven’t already got round to it. It saves money and will boost your home’s potential to retain heat. Sealing gaps around windows and floorboards is also necessary to prevent heat escaping. You may even want to consider purchasing double glazed windows if your old ones are particularly porous. Having your boiler serviced regularly also makes a lot of practical sense. You might not even notice it but your boiler could be working harder and using up extra fuel if it is not serviced. By having it serviced will increase a boiler’s efficiency and limit costly breakdowns and wasteful heat output.

For example, did you know that placing wet clothes over your radiators to dry makes the boiler work twice as hard to emit heat? This is a major pressure point in the boiler’s capacity to function. Simple steps and awareness such as the above will save money and ensure you achieve the most from your heating costs.