Reducing fuel bills
Heating costs are spiralling. Global warming is beginning to be obvious even to the most sceptical. Now, more than ever it makes sense to reduce your fuel bills and reduce carbon fuel emissions at the same time.
It seems almost too obvious, but the first thing we need to understand is why we need to heat our homes.
Apart from supplying plenty of hot water, the principal reason that we have central heating is to make sure the family is provided with an appropriate , comfortable level of warmth. It is important therefore, that proper control systems are an integral part of the heating system. Equally important is a well designed and efficient heating system.
Your heating system should provide suitable levels of 'thermal comfort' for everyone that uses the property.
So what is 'Thermal Comfort'?
This is the measure of a person's satisfaction with his or her surroundings. Thermal comfort is achieved when there is an appropriate and desirable heat balance between the body and its surroundings are met.
Thermal comfort can be considered to be achieved when;
o The air temperature at the level of your feet level is no greater than 3°C below the temperature at the level of your head.
o Airflow past the body is horizontal and is between 0.2m and 0.25m per second. - Generally speaking we prefer a variable air speed rather than a constant flow of air.
o Room surface temperatures are at or below the air temperatures.
o A relative humidity of between 40% to 60% is maintained.
o The air temperature is between 16-22 °C. - Obviously, this will be dependent upon the type of activity being carried out at the time.
Remember - The age of occupants and what they are wearing at the time will also be a factor.
Additional factors such as insulation, reducing drafts, controlling condensation/ventilation and providing controlled heating when it is needed, are all recognized as having an effect on the occupier's personal comfort.
It is possible to be able to have a level of control on all of these in order to give the correct level of thermal comfort and most probably, and more importantly, reduce your fuel bills at the same time.
These seem to be the most asked questions when discussing reducing fuel bills,
Is it cheaper to run the central heating all day or use the timer?
Can I set the controls to reduce my running costs?
Is it economical to shut off my radiators?
In summer is it cheaper to heat hot water all day or heat the water for short periods as required?
What settings should my boiler thermostat be at?
I have a boiler back unit. Is it cheaper to run the boiler or the fire?
What savings can be made if I
- Insulate the loft
- Have cavity walls fitted.
- Fit double glazing?
Let's answer them one at a time, firstly;
Is it cheaper to run my central heating all day or use the timer?
The more control you have over the time your central heating and hot water are on or off, the more you should save on fuel costs.
It is usually better to only use the heating when and where you need it.
Heating systems that run all day will raise the average internal temperature of the property. This will normally cost more than operating a selective heating programme.
Most modern systems are designed to be operated this way but if you have an aging heating system, it is best to check will your local plumber or plumbing consultant. They will be able to advise you if you need to upgrade your controls or heating system.
There is a way that you can test out whether it is better to be selective in your approach to using the heating - by reading your meter and then operating the system as a 'full on' system for a selected period - say a week, and then read the meter again. Then, for the next week, operate a 'selective' approach and read the meter again. The difference in readings will indicate the most efficient method.
Remember - this will only be a guide as there will be many variables - not least the weather!
You can try the same test on the domestic hot water.
Can I set the controls to reduce my running costs?
The simple answer is Yes.
The easiest and most obvious way to do this is to reduce the temperature settings on your thermostat. Temperatures at which people choose to set their controls will vary according to their own needs. However, the normal recommendation is that your hot water cylinder thermostat should be set at 60°C (140°F). The room thermostat should be set between 18°C - 21°C (65 - 70°F).
However, remember that with young children or elderly people in bed, the room temperature should not be allowed to fall below 12 C° (55°F).
For disabled people or babies, a room temperature of 23°C (73°F) would be more suitable.
It soon becomes obvious that just by turning your room thermostat down 1°C can make a significant saving on your fuel bill - which could be up to a 0% saving!
If you don't have them, consider having thermostatic radiator valves fitted. These allow you to set individual radiators to lower settings in rooms where you may prefer a lower temperature, such as in bedrooms or rooms you only use occasionally.
(To test Thermostatic Radiator Valves (TRV's), try setting them on middle numbers and if too hot, turn down one notch - if too cool, turn up one notch. Its obvious really isn't it?)
You could even turn them off completely when a room is not in use. If you do, remember to close the door, otherwise warm air will escape into there from the adjoining hallway or landing and reduce any savings.
You will need to watch out for condensation/dampness occurring in these rooms though.
Another way to save energy and reduce your fuel costs is to reduce the time the heating is on.
You will probably find that you can save energy without loss of comfort by setting the system to "come on" about half to three quarters of an hour before you get up, and to "go off" half an hour before everyone goes out.
Set it to "come on" again half and hour before you get home and to "go off" again half an hour before going to bed.
Is it economical to shut off my radiators?
Yes, you can make savings by turning off radiators during periods when some rooms are not in use but remember to close the doors otherwise warm air will escape into these rooms from the adjoining hallway or landing and therefore reduce any savings. Again, you must also keep an eye on unheated rooms to guard against dampness or condensation. It may well be wiser just to turn the radiator down rather than off.
Remember - do not turn off the radiator in the same room as the room thermostat. The radiator would give wrong information about the temperature of your home to the room thermostat and affect the heating in the rest of the house. Once more, you could consider fitting thermostatic radiator valves in rooms such as bedrooms, which will enable you to maintain individual temperatures perhaps to lower settings than the rest of the house and so make savings in this way. Your plumbing consultant will be able to advise on the cost of replacing your existing valves.
What settings should my boiler thermostat be at?
If your system has a room thermostat and a thermostat on the hot water cylinder, set the boiler thermostat on maximum and use these other thermostats to set comfortable room and hot water temperatures.
I have a boiler back unit. Is it cheaper to run the boiler or the fire?
It will only be worthwhile using the fire on its own for heating when you don't want to heat the whole house. I tend to use mine between seasons such as early spring or autumn when outside temperatures are less predictable.
The boiler will produce more heat and use more gas but of course, heats the whole house including the hot water.
What percentage savings can be made if I:
Insulate the loft?
Insulating your loft is one of the most worthwhile places to spend money to prevent heat from escaping.25% of the heat lost in homes escapes through the roof.
Have the cavity walls filled?
Up to 35% of the heat in a home is lost through walls. Filling cavity walls reduces heat loss from 35% to 10%.
Fit double glazing?
Even if windows are properly draught-proofed about 20% of heat is lost through a closed single glazed window. Installing double-glazing would halve heat loss through windows. The cost of double-glazing varies greatly from a cheap and fairly temporary method, such as fitting cling film (i.e. temporary secondary glazing), to having complete windows and frames replaced. This is the least cost effective method of saving energy and reducing bills - but hey - what price the planet?
In summer is it cheaper to heat hot water constantly or heat the water for short periods as needed?
It is generally cheaper to heat hot water only when you require it. If a cylinder is properly insulated, hot water will keep hot for up to 12 hours, so set the boiler to operate at times when you need to draw off large amounts of hot water. Modern cylinders are pre-insulated with expanded foam and can be extremely efficient. Your airing cupboard should not get hot from heat leaking from pipes and the cylinder.
If you do not have a cylinder thermostat, ask a plumber to fit one, you will recover the cost though savings in a relatively short space of time.
Remember - saving money on fuel bills will always mean a little effort but can give great returns in the longer run. The spin off from this is that we will be putting less carbon fuel emissions into the atmosphere and be helping to save the planet at the same time!
Article by Philip Ray
©
Whilst this article endeavors to contain up to date and accurate information, the article can only be considered as a guide. The author would always recommend that you take local independent professional advice.
After many years working in the construction industry, Phil now teaches in the UK. He has written many articles for web sites like Householders Guide, ukhomeonline.co.uk and yourhomeonlineuk.co.uk. His wide knowledge of the Construction Industry and Housing Markets makes him a popular author on Buying Real Estate.c
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