Paying for heat you don’t feel? How to lower your heating bills
The cheapest heat is the heat you don’t waste. The biggest everyday savings come from how you use your heating (thermostat, timer, radiator valves) and from keeping heat in (insulation and draught-proofing). But if your radiators have cold spots, your boiler is burning gas pushing water round a blocked system and you’re paying for heat you don’t feel. Clearing that sludge means the heat you pay for reaches your rooms.
Quick wins for your heating
These come from the Energy Saving Trust’s guidance on heating your home:
Set the thermostat to the lowest temperature you’re comfortable at. Use the timer so the heating is only on when you need it. Use thermostatic radiator valves to heat the rooms you use. On a condensing boiler, ask your engineer about lowering the boiler’s flow temperature. Bleed radiators that are cold at the top, and don’t block radiators with furniture or long curtains.
Keep the heat in
Loft and cavity wall insulation, draught-proofing round doors and windows, and closing curtains at night all keep heat inside for longer. The Energy Saving Trust has independent advice on each.
Is your heating system working against you?
Watch for these signs: radiators with cold spots, rooms that are slow to warm up, black water when you bleed a radiator, and a noisy boiler. Each one means the system is working harder for less heat.
What a powerflush does for running costs
A clean system lets the boiler heat your home the way it was designed to. How much difference it makes to your bills depends on how dirty the system was, so we won’t quote you a percentage. What customers notice is that the house warms up faster and every radiator is hot. As one Google reviewer put it: “The house now heats up much faster.”
Keep it efficient
Have the boiler serviced every year, get the magnetic filter cleaned and the inhibitor checked at the same visit. Boiler servicing is done through our sister company, Addisons Plumbing & Heating.
Help with energy costs
For official help and advice on energy bills, see the Energy Saving Trust and the government’s help with energy bills pages.
In Kent?
Kent Powerflush, Gas Safe 660156, covers Faversham, Canterbury, Whitstable, Herne Bay, Thanet, Sandwich, Deal, Dover, Folkestone, Ashford and Sittingbourne. Call 07540 335 087 or get a free quote.
Local pages: powerflush in Whitstable, powerflush in Broadstairs, powerflush in Deal, or see all the areas we cover.
Questions people ask
What’s the most economical way to run central heating?
Use the thermostat at the lowest comfortable temperature, the timer, and thermostatic radiator valves, and keep the system clean so the heat reaches your rooms. The Energy Saving Trust has detailed guidance.
Why is my heating bill so high?
Energy prices, how long the heating runs, how well the house keeps heat in, and how efficiently the system works all play a part. If radiators have cold spots, sludge may be making the boiler run longer for less heat.
Does a powerflush save money?
A clean system lets the boiler heat your home the way it was designed to. How much difference it makes depends on how dirty the system was, so we won’t quote a percentage. Customers notice the house warms up faster and every radiator is hot.
Is it cheaper to leave the heating on all day?
Generally no. The Energy Saving Trust advises using a timer so the heating is on only when you need it.
Related guides
Hot radiators across East Kent
Faversham, Canterbury, Whitstable, Herne Bay, Thanet, Sandwich, Deal, Dover, Folkestone, Ashford and Sittingbourne. Tell us about your system and Pete will come back with a price.