Energy prices have been going up, and HVAC accounts for one-fifth of the world’s energy consumption. You can lower your energy cost by making small changes to your heating and cooling system. Below are some tips from the experts at CorgiHomePlan.co.uk that will go a long way in helping you save energy while enhancing your comfort.
Balancing your thermostats
Ensure that your indoor thermostat or radiator heads that are in the same room have the same value. If one of them has a setting of 3 while the other is at 5, it results in a lot of inefficiencies that increase the costs and lower the performance.
Changing the temperature slowly
It can be tempting to turn up the thermostat to a high setting when you feel cold, but this is going to use up a lot of energy. It takes some time before the system adapts. If you turn it to the highest setting in one go, you will be comfortable pretty fast, but the room is going to be too hot the next day and you may be forced to open the windows. If you want to avoid this problem, then consider changing the temperature gradually until you get to the sweet spot. This is going to make your system more energy-efficient.
Carefully opening your windows
When you open a window, you mess up the heat equilibrium and increase your costs. Opening the window to reduce the temperature of the room or fresh air is going to send the system into overdrive. Radiators are at the bottom of the windows and they have sensors that are going to notice any drop in temperature. The system will work hard to get the indoor temperature to the optimal setting. It is okay to get some fresh air, but keep in mind the heat loss and how it is going to affect your heating system.
Freeing your radiators
Take a tour of your house and see if any radiators have been obstructed by things like some ignored laundry or a pile of toys. These are things that seem minor but can have a lot of impact on heat dissipation in the room. Even when in different rooms, the additional resistance will contribute to energy inefficiency and discomfort.
Changing your old thermostatic head
This is not a free home improvement tip, but it is a good investment that is going to be worth it.
When you replace your old thermostatic radiator heads with modern ones, you can save as much as 7% on energy costs.
If you have been using the heads for some time, it might be a good idea to replace them. You are going to see the changes and get a good return on your investment. When buying thermostatic radiator heads, you should look for quality ones. Don’t pick the cheapest one because it can end up costing you a lot in the long run. Always choose quality.
A good one comes with convenient and effective energy-saving clips:
The blue one limits lower temp. setting like with the night setting
The red one is going to restrict the upper-temperature range and prevents people from setting very high temperature by accident.
This is practical when you air rooms. When you pull the blue clip back, the head can be set at 0 and it doesn’t forget your preferred temp. range.
Protecting windows so you save heat
Most focus on creating heat and not saving the one they already have. The biggest source of heat loss in a building is the window. When you add a rolled towel to the window, you can improve heat preservation and increase your productivity and comfort.
Setting the ambiance
The mind is very powerful when it comes to comfort. When you set the right ambiance using a cozy pillow on your chair, a candle, or even a fluffy rug under the feet, you can make the body feel like it is warmer than it is.
