A British Gas expert has shared five free tips to reduce heating bills as energy prices are likely to soar following the festive period. The Ofgem energy price cap will be hiked after Christmas – with customers advised to adopt energy saving habits now.
British Gas engineer Sunny Solanky has shared five hacks on how people can use their radiators to save money on their heating bills. To begin with, Sunny advised homeowners to place radiator foil or tin foil behind their radiators, potentially saving £25 per year, reports Birmingham Live.
The method is effective as the foil reflects the hot air, with less energy wasted, more money is saved. Sunny also told The Sun that this technique works especially well on radiators located on external walls or solid walls.
If your radiator has a cold patch that doesn’t heat up, there are likely to be pockets of air inside, indicating they need bled. These pockets of air prevent the hot water in the radiator from circulating properly, so bleeding radiators will ensure they operate properly.
Discussing why customers must not heat every room in the house, Sunny explained: “If you know a room isn’t going to be used then make sure you turn the radiator off and close the door to stop cold air circulating through the rest of the house.”
He also advised against blocking radiators with furniture as it prevents heat from circulating properly, making your space feel chillier. Rearranging large items away from the radiators can improve a heater’s efficiency significantly.
He added that installing thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) helps facilitate better temperature control in different areas, too, he added. TRVs detect a room’s temperature and adjust hot water flow accordingly, enabling separate temperature settings for individual rooms, allowing heating only where necessary.
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