PROPERTIES in the UK can be freezing in the winter, especially those without property insulation.
With almost 10 million Britons spending more on heating and boiler upkeep than they do on Christmas, what can you do to keep your heating bills down?
As winter draws in and the temperatures plummet, most Britons are now beginning to use their central heating on a daily basis. With more Britons spending time indoors due to the coronavirus pandemic, it is likely most households have noticed their energy bills rising significantly.
According to Ofgem, the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in many households struggling to pay for their gas and electricity bills which can surge in the winter months.
Powered Now, a mobile billing service for the trades, has conducted research analysing Britons' struggles when it comes to maintaining their homes during the winter months.
The data from Powered Now suggests that despite Britons investing around £1,000 on insulation and/or boilers, 20 percent of their homes still aren’t warm enough in the winter months.
The statistics also revealed that 26 percent (9.45 million) of Britons are spending more on heating and boiler upkeep than on Christmas.
Meanwhile, 22 percent of Britons said that due to the pandemic, they have actually saved money this year as a buffer for repair works their homes needed over the winter.
CEO of Powered Now, Ben Dyer has advised Britons on what they can do to maintain their home in the winter.
Here are Powered Now’s expert tips for Britons to save money and be more efficient with their heating.
Understand how to use it
Many homeowners have moved into homes in the summer months and neglected to try and understand how the heating works until the temperatures drop.
Powered Now explained that if you know how your heating works, how long it takes for your home to heat up and cool down, you will be able to use it efficiently and keep costs down.
Britons can try reducing their thermostat temperatures by one degree at a time to save more money too.
Check your radiators
This is a common problem homeowners are often faced with when heating their homes.
According to Powered Now, one way of checking whether your radiator needs bleeding is when your radiator has differences in temperature.
When you bleed radiators, make sure the air that has been trapped at the bottom of the radiator is released.
Once your radiator is bled, the hot water can then fill the radiator completely.
Check your insulation
Around 25 percent of heat lost in uninsulated homes escapes through the roof.
Homes will likely preserve their heat for longer if they have good insulation.
If you have good insulation, you can reduce your boiler and heating use which will save you money.
Powered Now is also advising to make sure the exterior and interior of your homes are well maintained.
Use the sun
Even in the winter, a sunny day can make all the difference.
According to Powered Now, keeping curtains open on sunny days can really help.
Also keeping internal doors open can increase ventilation.
Mr Dyer said Britons are spending up to £5.1billion on boilers and maintenance but that their homes are still feeling cold.
He continued: “Over two million households in England are currently fuel-poor, and the economic impacts of the pandemic are starting to take a toll, with many being unable to pay their bills.
“While the national lockdowns have resulted in a home improvement boom, the colder weather has undoubtedly caused people to use their heating and boiler systems more, which is sure to have expensive implications particularly when these services require maintenance."
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