Energy and heating

Heating your home hints and tips

We know that heating your home can be a real cost pressure and put a strain on your finances.

To help keep your costs down and to keep your home warm and free of damp, follow this guide:

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    Using your thermostat programmer

    You can set your heating and hot water to come on only when required rather than all the time. We recommend you set your thermostat to 21 degrees in the living room and 18 for everywhere else to ensure your home is sufficiently heated. The boiler will maintain these temperatures to ensure correct energy usage. Smart meters mean accurate energy bills and they allow you to see your usage and reduce energy consumption by displaying how much money you have spent. You also won’t need someone to enter your home to read your meter.

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    Reduce draughts

    Close your curtains at dusk to stop heat escaping through the windows and check for draughts around windows and doors.

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    Switch off unused appliances

    Don’t leave appliances on standby and remember not to leave laptops and mobile phones on charge when you don’t need to. Most phones and small devices are fully charged within just two hours.

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    Don’t waste water

    Only boil as much water as you need (but remember to cover the elements if you’re using an electric kettle). A dripping hot water tap wastes energy and can waste enough water to fill half a bath in less than a week.

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    Smart meters

    Smart meters mean accurate energy bills and they allow you to see your usage and reduce energy consumption by displaying how much money you have spent. You also won’t need someone to enter your home to read your meter.

Pre-payment energy meters

If your pre-payment meter has run out of credit, you will need to reset your gas meter after topping up to reinstate your gas supply.

Please visit your supplier’s website for instructions on how to do that.

If you are unsure who the supplier is, you can find out by visiting www.findmysupplier.energy