FEEL THE HEAT
How to make your home feel hotter and save hundreds of pounds on energy bills with four easy radiator tricks
Watch the video in this article on ways to save money on your bills this winter
FOUR simple radiator mistakes could be needlessly driving up your energy bills by hundreds of pounds a year.
Households across the UK have been hit with freezing temperatures in recent weeks and will be cranking up the heating.
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But the way you're using your radiators could be hampering their efficiency and seeing costs rack up without you realising.
You'll want to avoid these four simple errors if you want a smoother-running - and therefore cheaper - central heating system.
Not bleeding your radiators
Trapped air in your radiators can lead to cold spots, which means your central heating system is having to work harder to get to the right temperature.
But you can avoid the issue by bleeding them, which will ensure your system is running more smoothly.
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Jess Steele, heating technology expert at BestHeating, said: "A quick and easy job that will improve the efficiency of your radiators is bleeding them to release trapped air.
"Check for cold spots at the top of a radiator to allow hot water to circulate freely which can lower bills by around £130 a year."
Bleeding your radiators is relatively simple - you just have to turn off the heating then find the bleed valve, which is usually at the top of radiator.
You then insert a radiator key into the valve and start draining the water from inside.
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Make sure you've got a tray or jug underneath the unit so any water doesn't spill onto the floor.
When water starts to flow steadily, turn the valve clockwise to close it and then you can restart your heating system.
You can buy a radiator key for a few pounds at most.
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Your radiators aren't balanced
Some radiators may end up colder than others because the flow of hot water isn't being distributed evenly between them.
Jess, from BestHeating, explained: “When some radiators are hot, and others remain cold it may be a balancing issue where the hot water is not evenly distributed across the system."
To fix it, you need to adjust the lockshield valve on each radiator, which is usually found at the bottom on the opposite end to the thermostatic radiator valve (TRV).
"This will reduce their flow and allow more hot water to reach the colder radiators," Jess added.
"This requires a small adjustment and testing over time to balance the heat."
Putting furniture in front
It can be tempting to put furniture like sofas in front of radiators to hide them and give your room a polished look.
But doing this will block some of the heat that's being pumped out, meaning the room will stay cold.
Instead, make sure any upholstery you've got is a few centimetres away from any radiators so any hot air can flow freely.
Joanna Flowers, a British Gas service and repair engineer, said: "Putting your sofa in front of a radiator will absorb heat that could be warming the rest of the room."
You're not using reflective foil
Once you've cleared any furniture out of the way, you'll want to maximise the heat that's coming out of your radiators.
You can do this with special reflective foil which reflects heat back into the room and limits the amount that can escape outside.
At the time of writing, you could get some from Toolstation for £7.99 or £7.51 from Screwfix.
If you don't have the budget, you can always buy standard tin foil from the supermarket.
Emily Seymour, energy editor at Which?, said: "Adding foil behind radiators will make sure their heat is reflected back into the room and reduce the rate of heat loss, and is especially helpful when they are mounted on uninsulated external walls."
How else to save money on energy bills this winter
Small tweaks to the way you use our radiators will save you money on your bills, but there are plenty of other ways to cut costs.
Cutting out draughts is one quick way to ensure less heat from inside your home escapes and more colder air gets in.
Door draught excluders start from just a few pounds at Online Home Shop, Dunelm and Toolstation.
Make sure the flow temperature on your boiler is set correctly as well - this could save you hundreds of pounds a year.
Ian Palmer-Smith, supplier and heating service director at Domestic & General, previously told The Sun the boiler heating side should be set to 70 degrees and the water side to 60.
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Do this, and you are increasing the efficiency of your boiler by up to 15%.
Avoid using the tumble dryer as well as they guzzle through fuel - use a heated airer instead which is much cheaper.
How to cut your bills
IF you're struggling financially, you might be able to cut the cost of your bills to help you get out of the red.
Council tax: You can apply for a council tax reduction on the Gov.uk website but you'll need to meet certain criteria. Your bill could be cut by as much as 100 per cent if you’re on a low income or claim benefits. Carers who look after someone in the household for at least 35 hours a week are also exempt from paying.
Water: Households might be able to save money by getting a water meter but it all depends on how much you're using. To check if it's finacially worthwhile, use the Consumer Council for Water's free ater meter calculator.
Rent: If you have the space available and your landlord or local authority says it's ok to do so, you might want to consider getting a flatmate. Not only will you split the cost of the rent, but also the other bills.
Hire purchase: If you're struggling to make your repayments on your hire purchase, you can usually end the contract by returning the goods. You will have to pay all the instalments due up to the time you end the agreement but this will limit the amount you owe. Contact Citizens Advice for free for more help with this.
Gas and electricty: MoneySavingExpert says families can save £330 on average by switching from Standard Variable Tariffs (SVTs) to a better rate. Use a comparison site such as MoneySuperMarket or Energyhelpline to see what deals are available.
Mortgage: If you get into debt with your mortgage payments, don't wait for your lender to chase you. Work out what you can afford using the Citizens Advice budgeting tool so you can discuss your payment options moving forward with your mortgage provider.
Secured Loan: Your secured loan might be covered by the Consumer Credit Act and if it is, you may be able to apply for a Time Order. This is a special agreement by the courts allowing you more time to make payments. Secured loans not covered by the Consumer Credit Act include gas, electricity or water meters, payments that need to be written off in full, mortgages, credit union loans, loans from an employer and some short term trade agreements.
County Court Judgements: If you receive a County Court claim form talk to a free debt advice service straight away. This includes Citizens Advice (0808 800 9060), StepChange (0800 138 1111) and the National Debtline (0808 808 4000).
TV licence: Some households are eligible for a reduced fee or free TV Licence. Check here to see if you are entitled to a reduced or free rate.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
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