Keep your home warm without paying through the roof

Despite rising energy bills householders can still keep their house warm without paying through the roof.

Midlands energy expert Ron Fox said residents can take a number of steps immediately so they don’t turn blue with cold if they turn the thermostat down a few degrees – and some of the measures won’t cost them a penny.

Ron, of Noreus Ltd on Staffordshire Technology Park in Stafford, said people firstly needed to understand where in the home they were losing heat.

He said: “Surprisingly, 35 per cent of heat is lost through the walls compared to 25 per cent through the roof, while in joint third place are doors and floors at 15 per cent each followed by windows at 10 per cent.”

He said householders can reduce their heat loss for free at night by shutting doors and closing blinds and curtains, particularly those with thermal linings, at dusk in all the rooms – and not just the lounge.

But he reminded residents not to hang curtains in front of radiators because that allows heat to escape through the window.

However, during the day he said keep curtains and internal doors open to allow warm air from free solar heat to circulate round the house.

Other simple tips he suggested included:

• Don’t have a window open when the heating is on
• Use the immersion heater sparingly
• When cooking use that heat generated in the house instead of having the central heating switched on. This move will also cut down on condensation.

“But the big savings such as draught-proofing doors, double glazing windows, placing an aluminum reflector sheet behind radiators attached to outside walls and ensuring the floor is properly insulated will cost money,” said Ron. “However, those moves can cut heating bills by hundreds of pounds each and every year.”

He said one room that many people forget about and which can bring big reductions in bills is the loft where 25 per cent of household heat is lost.

Ron suggests spray foaming their attic with a system such as the Icynene Insulation System which forms an air-tight seal and reduces heating bills by up to 50 per cent as it literally stops heat going up through the roof, saving up to £600 a year every year.  

The environmentally friendly Icynene Insulation System is a non-toxic 100 per cent, water blown, soft spray insulation system which comes with a lifetime warranty.  

Although it costs up to £2,900 to have the average 60 square metres of attic space spray foamed the good news is that the Government charges VAT at only 5 per cent compared to the normal 20 per cent.

For more details about Spray Foam Insulation and other energy-saving ideas call Ron on 01782 756995.