With autumn now very much upon us, many people will be hesitating about when to turn on the heating. It has been entirely unnecessary to do so in a hot summer when the mercury once touched an unprecedented 40 degrees C in parts of London, but now it is getting distinctly nippy and the cricket season is over, it is time to think about when to reach for the thermostat.
Such considerations arise every year, but this time people will be feeling much more wary because of the increase in costs, especially as the Energy Price Cap is rising. The recent government action will help keep the average maximum cost at £2,500 rather than £3,549 as it had been provisionally set by Ofgem. But that still represents a big jump on the £1,971 set in April.
However, folk know they won’t be able to just sit there and shiver as it gets colder, so the best thing to do is plan what to do with October and November, when the weather will be bracing, but not as cold as in midwinter.
Using boiler repair services in Lewisham is a smart move if you live in the area and have an issue with your boiler. The more efficient your boiler is, the less it will cost to heat up your water.
It is also useful to have a boiler that can accommodate a more flexible approach, because turning the temperature down between six and eight degrees on your combi boiler can save money, even if it takes a bit longer to heat the water.
A basic consideration is the temperature. It really does not need to be hotter than 20 degrees and yet, some people do set up their rooms to be warmer than that. While it might feel great to recreate a hint of summer temperatures, it is far better to feel warm enough and keep the cost down.
The same principle applies here: You are still heating your home, but using just enough gas to do that rather than more than you need to. A positive thing to think of about this is that if you can do that this winter, you may find this habit still saves you money in the future when hopefully the international factors that have pushed up energy prices will have passed.
There are many other effective steps to take. Now may not be an ideal time to get lots of insulation fitted, but you can always add extra elements. This includes draught excluders under doors, keeping your curtains closed as soon as it goes dark and making sure you don’t leave windows and doors open unnecessarily.
Of course, the weather will get colder and we may end up with a chilly winter, even if the general urban island heat effect will make south London rather warmer than rural areas. But by keeping the bills down as much as possible in October, you can help make finances easier when it gets colder and darker in December and January.