WHEN it comes to heating my home in winter, there is one hack I always use despite people telling me I am crazy.
I never use a timer to control when my central heating comes on. Wild I know..
Spending years in flat shares in London, I often waited patiently for the central to come on – usually during one or two hour increments during through out the day.
I understand this is often the fairest thing to do when you are splitting bills equally amongst four or five people.
But when I moved in with my partner a few years back, I suggested we throw caution to the wind and warm our home whenever we felt like it.
Typically, I whack it on for 15 or 20 minutes in the morning, but only if really needed.
Then I might stick it on for another hour or two in the evening after getting back from work. But if we are both out then the heating stays off.
After a few months, I noticed the heating was actually coming on far less throughout the day. And I no longer felt like a slave to the boiler timer.
I know many people enjoy coming back to a warm home after a long day, but I am happy to tough it out for a few minutes while I wait for the room to warm up.
Better yet, I always feel toasty in my home. I just make sure to keep all the doors in my flat to help retain the heat when it does come on.
My heating hack that could help YOU save £385
I have dubbed this my “heating on demand (HOD)” hack and experts also think it could save you hundreds of quid this winter too.
Nicholas Auckland at Trade Radiators said: “If you have your heating on a timer, then they’re likely to heat the home regardless of whether heat is actually needed or not. “
So for example, if you have set your heating to come on for three hours in the morning and four hours at night (total of seven hours per day) then that would cost you £4.98 per day.
Over the course of the month, this would set you back £149.40.
How do I calculate my energy bill?
BELOW we reveal how you can calculate your own energy bill.
To calculate how much you pay for your energy bill, you must find out your unit rate for gas and electricity and the standing charge for each fuel type.
The unit rate will usually be shown on your bill in p/kWh.The standing charge is a daily charge that is paid 365 days of the year – irrespective of whether or not you use any gas or electricity.
You will then need to note down your own annual energy usage from a previous bill.
Once you have these details, you can work out your gas and electricity costs separately.
Multiply your usage in kWh by the unit rate cost in p/kWh for the corresponding fuel type – this will give you your usage costs.
You’ll then need to multiply each standing charge by 365 and add this figure to the totals for your usage – this will then give you your annual costs.
Divide this figure by 12, and you’ll be able to determine how much you should expect to pay each month from April 1.
This is based on the current price cap of 5.93p per kWh for gas, and assumes that a home has a standard combi or system boiler, with an output of roughly 12kWh per hour when running.
But someone who chooses to heat their home on demand for a total of two and a half hours a day you would pay £1.78 per day or just £53.40 per month.
By switching from having your heating on a timer and having your heating on manually (for much less time per day), you could make savings of £96 per month or £385 saved over a four-month period.
“But if you live with someone elderly or have a high risk of developing illness/feeling the cold, then timers still make sense,” Nick warns.
He also said that if your home isn’t insulated well, then a timer could still be beneficial as you need that heat constantly pumping in order to ensure your home’s warm.
You can also get a smart thermostat system, which allows you to schedule your home heating and hot water via a smartphone app to help you save.
What energy bill help is available?
There’s a number of different ways to get help paying your energy bills if you’re struggling to get by.
If you fall into debt, you can always approach your supplier to see if they can put you on a repayment plan before putting you on a prepayment meter.
This involves paying off what you owe in instalments over a set period.
If your supplier offers you a repayment plan you don’t think you can afford, speak to them again to see if you can negotiate a better deal.
Several energy firms have schemes available to customers struggling to cover their bills.
But eligibility criteria vary depending on the supplier and the amount you can get depends on your financial circumstances.
For example, British Gas or Scottish Gas customers struggling to pay their energy bills can get grants worth up to £2,000.
British Gas also offers help via its British Gas Energy Trust and Individuals Family Fund.
You don’t need to be a British Gas customer to apply for the second fund.
EDF, E.ON, Octopus Energy and Scottish Power all offer grants to struggling customers too.
Thousands of vulnerable households are missing out on extra help and protections by not signing up to the Priority Services Register (PSR).
The service helps support vulnerable households, such as those who are elderly or ill.
Some of the perks include being given advance warning of blackouts, free gas safety checks and extra support if you’re struggling.
Get in touch with your energy firm to see if you can apply.
