5 tips to save on heating

Heating is a major expense for most households. Yet you can reduce your costs by following a few tips... and your common sense.

Regulate the temperature

• Adjust the temperature according to the type of room you're using: Obviously, the rooms where you spend the most time should be kept at a different temperature than those you only use occasionally. A temperature of 20°C to 22°C is enough for a living room, while a lower temperature will do in bedrooms (max. 18°C), and the bathroom is heated to between 22°C and 25°C while in use.
  These temperatures are averages, so feel free to lower them by a few degrees, even if it means dressing more warmly indoors.
  Lowering the temperature by just a few degrees saves a lot of energy... and money!

- Adjust the temperature according to occupancy: There's no need to heat as much when nobody's home. The living room temperature can also be lowered at night, once everyone is tucked in bed.

• Use timers, thermostats and (remote) heating trigger systems according to your wake-up and away-from-home schedules.

Insulate your home

- Plan ahead: Make sure you plan for good insulation during construction or renovation work. Check with your local authorities to find out about available grants.

- If you live in an older or poorly insulated home: hunt down draughts and places where heat can escape (e.g. windows, doors, ceilings, roofs, etc.) and try to seal or insulate them as best you can.

- Curtains, shutters, blinds... aren't just decoration!
Close your shutters, blinds, drapes and curtains. They have an insulating effect.

Note: Don't forget to ventilate. While good insulation is important, you must not forget to air out your home, either by using a built-in ventilation system or by opening the windows for a few minutes.

Make the right heating choice

- The right choice for the whole house: Choose the heating system that lets you best manage your consumption (fossil fuel, electricity, wood (pellets), alternative energy, etc.). Do your research and ask a professional for advice when renovating your installation.

- The right choice for the right room: For certain rooms in your home, a specific or supplementary heating source can replace or complement your main heating system (e.g. an open fire in the living room, a space heater in the bathroom, etc.). This lets you temporarily limit heating to specific rooms without having to heat the whole house.

- Keep an eye on your consumption! Check and record your consumption regularly. That way you'll be less likely to get a (bad) surprise when the bill arrives.

• Be smart about supply: If you heat with heating oil, fill the tank when the purchase price is lowest (often in summer), compare energy supplier prices and make the best choice.

Remember maintenance

- Maintenance is mandatory at regular intervals depending on your type of heating (see the article "Heating system maintenance"). Plan ahead. Have your boiler serviced so it runs as efficiently as possible while consuming as little as possible.

- Check your boiler's carbon monoxide emissions and have your chimney swept.

Let your radiators "radiate"

Many people dry laundry by draping it over their radiators or place objects on them. This is a bad idea, because it stops the radiator from radiating its heat into the room, making it less effective.

Also read: "10 tips to get your home ready for winter"
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