It's also very important to choose the right kind of heating. Think about what areas you need to heat, how big they are and how long you need to heat them each day. If you're only heating your living areas, use one or more high-efficiency space heaters. Gas heaters are cheaper to run and produce less greenhouse pollution than electric models. If you need to heat living areas by day and bedrooms by night, both for long periods, use a zoned central heating system. Wall-mounted radiant heaters or infra-red lamps are best for the bathroom.
A well-insulated home can be up to 5°C warmer in winter and costs a lot less to heat. If you can't insulate your whole home right now, start with the main living areas.
Cold draughts from outside make your home uncomfortable and can increase heating costs by over 20%. Put draught excluders on external doors and weather-sealing tape between windows and frames.
Don't waste energy heating empty rooms - especially bathrooms and toilets with exhaust fans. Let your heating system work in a smaller area.
It sounds obvious, but if you want to wear a T-shirt round the house in winter, you'll pay a lot more for heating. Dress warmly before you think about turning up the heater.
Another energy drain during cold, wet weather is the clothes dryer. If you can't dry your clothes outside, make sure you have an energy-efficient dryer. Compare energy rating labels when you buy - just 1 extra star can mean a 15% saving on running costs.
Follow these tips and see how much you can reduce your electricity bill.
