Let’s do some good together

It sounds like we’re cursing this reliable source of heat, but actually bleeding a radiator is a common cure for when your heat is on but some rooms aren’t getting warm. If your radiator feels cold at the top but warm at the bottom, it’s a sign that there’s some air trapped inside which can stop it working as well as it should. It’s easy to fix, you just need a radiator key. They’re not expensive and easily found at DIY shops or on the internet – if your radiator valve has a slot in it, you could even use a flat head screwdriver. Turn the heating off and let the radiators cool down before you start, and have a cloth ready to catch any drips. Pop the key (or screwdriver) into the valve at the top of your radiator and turn it slowly anti-clockwise and it’ll start to hiss as the air escapes. Turn it clockwise to close the valve when the hissing has stopped and water starts coming out (this is when you’ll remember if you forgot the cloth). Do the same to any other radiators which were hot and cold before turning the head back on. Check them all again and start over if you still have some that don’t feel quite right.

We’ve all done it. Pushed the sofa right up to the radiator to make more space in the room or closed the curtains over the radiator. This stops the radiator from doing its best for you, so by leaving as much space as you can around them, the heat can circulate better and instead of a warm sofa back, you’re more likely to have a warm room. And you’re not heating up the window instead of the room. Better all round. And another thing. Drying your clothes on the radiator isn’t recommended either, as tempting as it might be. Give your radiator space to be ace.

We’re not against you playing draughts, but do suggest you look at stopping the chilly kind which can soon bring the temperature down. Not just windows, but letter boxes, doors and loft hatches can all let heat escape, meaning your boiler has to work harder for longer to heat your home just the way you like it. Don’t let draughts win – check out draught excluders to stop the gaps and letterbox brushes to help keep the cold out but let your post in.

If you’ve got an open fireplace or chimney flue and aren’t using it, you could still be losing a lot of heat up the chimney. By blocking it up you stop warm air from escaping and help keep your room the way you want it, instead of heating up the sky. There are a couple of ways you can do this, like using an inflatable chimney balloon or getting a builder to install a chimney cap. Just remember to leave a magic key out for Santa if he visits your house each year and remove the block if you want to start using the chimney again.

It can be really tempting when you get home to a cold house to whack the thermostat up to try and heat the place up, pronto. Seriously, don’t do it. It won’t get warmer any quicker and you could be wasting energy. Your thermostat will work best for you if you set it to a comfortable temperature and leave it. Let it do its job. And on that note, if you can bear to turn your thermostat down by just 1 degree, you could reduce your heating costs by up to £80 per year. And by only having your heat on when you need it instead of leaving it on all day, you probably won’t even notice any difference in temperature, but you could soon see a difference in your bills.

Sadly, not the overseas kind, but as we learned during 2020, make the most of what you’ve got. It might be cold outside, but when the glorious winter sun is shining, open your curtains and blinds to let the heat it generates into your home. This works best for south-facing windows between 11am and 3pm, when the sun is at its hottest. Don’t forget to close them when the sun goes down, to keep the heat in and the draughts out.

Having a light on at home is often a sign that someone’s in, even if you’re not. And having it on a timer means it can come on when you’re not there so you can be away from home without the worry.

Smart technology is quite commonplace in the home now so plug your lamp into a smart plug, or have a smart bulb linked to a smart assistant like Alexa or Google home. Get them to do the work so you can have your hands full and your lights on. Or if you’re out and there’s an app for your gadget, turn the lights on and off remotely – just make sure you’re not scaring the life out of someone already home!

Not everyone feels comfortable in the dark, especially young children, so if you leave a light on at night, choose an energy efficient one to keep the cost down. It soon adds up.

Outdoor lighting is great way to welcome you home, but if it’s not light sensitive don’t forget to change the timer as the seasons change. Also think about the sensitivity setting of any lights which are triggered by movement so they only come on when they need to. Next doors cat can see in the dark.

Instead of having bright lights for the whole room, just use lighting where you need it – a reading or desk lamp will help you see the detail and use less electricity as it doesn’t need such a bright bulb. It might even add to the ambience and you’re also more likely to turn it off when you’re done.

Next time you need to replace a bulb, opt for an energy efficient one and it’ll pay off in the long run. They tend to last longer and are much cheaper to buy than they used to be, so savings stack up sooner.

You wouldn’t go out in the cold without a coat to keep you warm as otherwise you’d go cold quickly (unless you’re running around to warm up). The same applies to the water in your hot water cylinder – if it’s not insulated, you’ll be using more energy to keep the water warm inside. Fitting a jacket to your hot water cylinder will help to keep the heat in and the costs down. For around £15, you can make savings of up to £20 each year so it’s money well spent.

A nice hot power shower in the morning can be just what you need to start the day. It might only take a few minutes but you can save even more than time by switching to an energy efficient showerhead. It reduces the water flow, cutting your water use by half. And less hot water means less energy to produce it – savings all round. Just make sure the showerhead is compatible with your shower type.

When you’re leaving for a well-earned break, give your boiler a break too by switching it off when you go away. Your boiler uses the most energy in your home so be energy-saving savvy and don’t leave it on when you don’t need to. If you’re away during winter, instead of turning it off completely we’d recommend setting it to low or frost protection mode if you have one, to stop your pipes freezing up.

Insulating your pipes is a quick and cost effective way of saving energy and keeping the cost of heating down. Pick up some foam insulation at your local DIY shop and pop it on all indoor and outdoor pipes you can safely reach. As well as keeping the heat in, it’ll help stop outdoor pipes freezing, which cuts the risk of them bursting when they thaw out.

Like the room thermostat for controlling your heating, your hot water cylinder temperature can be changed too. Many are set to 65 degrees by default and you’ll find you can turn it down to around 60 degrees and still have enough hot water for your household as well as save some money. In a typical home, water heating makes up a quarter of the energy use, so it’s well worth trying.

Running a bath can use up to 80 litres of water, which is more than twice as much as a 5 minute shower with an efficient showerhead. Hit snooze and don’t lose - save time and money by enjoying a shower in the morning instead of a laze in the tub.

If you’re using the oven, do you have anything else which can be cooked at the same time to make the most of your energy? Do you need to use the oven or hob, or will something else get the job done faster? The toaster or microwave can get the job done quicker in a lot of cases and use much less energy so taking a moment to think about which way works best can help keep your energy costs down.

We’re talking about oven doors here – take a peek through the glass door rather than opening it and help keep the heat in. It’ll also help keep the temperature constant and cut down on the cooking time. No one wants a soggy bottom.

Pop a lid on your pan or casserole dish and it’ll help keep the heat in, meaning it cooks more quickly. And quicker cooking means less energy, which makes for lower energy bills. You know it makes sense.

Make the most of your dish by cooking extra - freeze leftovers and you’ll have a ready-made meal for another day, saving time and energy. Just make sure you let your food cool before you pop it in the freezer – another cool energy saving tip.

Think about what you’re going to eat for the week ahead and plan when you need to get those leftovers out to enjoy. Make sure you leave enough time for them to defrost in the fridge instead of using hot water or the microwave – it takes a bit longer but uses much less energy. Check what you have in the fridge, freezer and cupboards before you head to the shops. Buy only what you need and you’ll save money, waste less and if you cook in bulk you’ll save energy too.

Washing your dirty laundry at a higher temperature than it needs uses more energy. And that costs money. If your clothes aren’t heavily soiled, try washing them at 30C - even 20 degrees, which can use up to 66% less energy than a standard 40 degree wash. Check your detergent to see that it will work at lower temperatures – some will work as low as 15 degrees.

This holds true for both washing machines and dishwashers. Choosing a quick wash rather than the standard one can clean your clothes or make your crockery sparkle for less – and you’ll save time too.

If you’ve bought a new fridge or freezer, ask yourself if you really need to keep the old one. Many people keep it running as a backup but you’re using double the energy – and even on an A-rated appliance, this could cost around £40-80 extra each year.

There are many laundry products based on that freshly washed fragrance but nothing beats that summer fresh feeling line dried clothes. By hanging them out to dry instead of throwing them in the tumble dryer, you’ll save energy and help your clothes last longer.

Your fridge is on 24/7 so it’s no surprise that it’s fridge is one of the biggest energy users in your kitchen. If the coils on the back are dirty or dusty, your fridge will be working harder than it needs to. Give them a clean every few months to help keep your fridge running efficiently – the instruction manual will tell you what to do.

It’s more cost-effective to make sure the washing machine or dishwasher has a full load, even if it has a half-load option. Just don’t be tempted to overfill your appliances as it can make them less effective and mean they don’t get cleaned properly.