Heat Cool and Insulate » home heating

How To Significantly Decrease Your Home Heating Oil Bills This Winter

Jeff — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 03:36:15 +0000

These days we all need to watch the pennies and the rising prices of fuel makes this one part of the household budget where big savings can be potentially made. Here are just a few tips to help you save money on your heating oil bill this winter.

- It is now the middle of summer and heating oil is probably the last thing on your mind, but now is the time to start thinking about filling your tank. The increase in demand for oil last winter really saw the prices shoot up. The price for filling your tank should be lower now as there will not be that much demand for oil.

- Check your boiler, tank, and lines for any signs of damage. Make sure that if you spot anything, that you do not try to fix it yourself but instead call in the professionals. If you notice any little spots of black soot in the area around your boiler this could mean that it needs to be seen by a technician. Any leaks need to be repaired, even if it is a tiny leak from an oil line because the problem will only get worse if you leave it. A heating oil system which is not functioning correctly will more than likely be costing you money.

- A lot of money is lost when heat escapes from the home so you should make sure that you have sufficient insulation. Check places like your attic and around doors. You will be amazed at the amount of money you can save on heating oil by properly insulating your home.

- Use the timer switch to ensure that instead of having the heating on continuously, that it only comes on as and when you need it. We all like to come back to a warm home so you can arrange for the boiler to come on half an hour before you are due back.

Heating ones home in the cold months of winter can cost a fair packet. Gas and electricity are very expensive today, with no signs of prices coming down. Clever people are switching to heating oil as a fuel though. Heating oil suppliers make sure the nations oil tanks stay full. Oil suppliers are prevelant throughout the UK, and will supply, for instance heating oil Barnehurst.

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Tags: energy savings, , Cooling

Tags: energy savings, Cooling,

How much does It cost to have solar heating installed?

Jeff — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 16:06:11 +0000

I am looking to find alternative means of energy.

My electrical bill is astronomical as it is the only source of energy in my home.

I no longer use gas heat as my last heating bill was almost 0.00 a month. So, all sources of energy in my home is certainly electrical in nature.

I am looking to have solar panels installed for home heating and for hot water.

About how much am I looking to throw into this gesture?

Anyone have an idea how to get started?

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Tags: hvac, Insulation,

Tags: Insulation, hvac,

why do my home heating and air unit blow heat then ice cold air when I have the thermostat on heat/auto?

Jeff — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 05:50:16 +0000

I don’t understand why my home heating unit blow out heat then ice cold air. When I have the thermostst set to a degree and heat. Please help me with answers
My home was built in 2004 so it’s fairly new that’s why I didn’t expect this to be happening.

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Tags: insulating, Heating, Insulation

Tags: insulating, Insulation, Heating

Choosing Oil Filled Radiators For Big Homes

Jeff — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 06:01:00 +0000

Central heating for any home especially a big home, can prove to be quite expensive during the winter months. You will more than likely need to have your heating on for longer if you have a big house as it will take longer to heat and that will end up costing more. Although the house may take a lot of time to heat up it is not normally because you need a better heating system as many people assume and you can solve your problem with a much cheaper alternative such as purchasing some oil filled radiators.

Heating older houses or houses with two stories can take longer than single story new homes. The reason for this is because older homes normally lack sufficient insulation and two storey houses need both stories to reach the required temperature before the house feels warm. Although using an oil filled radiator can allow you to quickly get a rooms you are using. By only heating up the rooms we are using we can be much more energy efficient. Once the room you are using has reached the desired temperature, the heater will switch itself off and only come back on when the room temperature drops again. This makes it very energy efficient. Another major advantage is the fact that electric oil filled radiators consume lower amounts of electricity resulting in reduced energy bills.

So if you are worried about the cost of using your central heating this year, then maybe you should consider buying a few oil filled radiators. You will save money over the winter because they are not that expensive to buy. They can help you to get your room to that required temperature quite speedily. They are safe to use, even around children and pets and can be placed anywhere in a room that has an electricity socket nearby. You can even leave them on at night on a low setting and they will maintain a certain heat. Plus most of them come with timers so that you can programme them to come on just before you wake in the morning.

Heating ones home in the cold months of winter can cost a fair packet. Electricity and gas prices are very high and show no signs of coming down any time soon. Savvy people are changing over to oil as a home fuel though. After the changeover they have to make sure that the storage tanks are always full of cheap heating oil to make sure they don’t run dry in the cold weather.

Tags: insulating, energy savings, Cooling

Tags: energy savings, Cooling, insulating

How Oil Filled Radiators Can Benefit Large Homes

Jeff — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 06:00:59 +0000

Heating your home in the winter can be very expensive especially if you have a big house. Larger homes take longer to heat and that means you will need to leave your heating on for longer which can work out more expensive. Some owners feel that they may need to get a new updated heating system because of the length of time it takes to heat the house but you can solve this problem much easier by just buying oil filled radiators.

It can take much longer to get a two storey house or an older house to get to the desired temperature. This is due to the fact that two storey houses have to be heated on two levels and older homes are usually lacking in sufficient insulation. However, it is possible to quickly heat up the rooms you are using with an oil filled radiator. By only heating up the rooms we are using we can be much more energy efficient. Oil filled radiators work to heat up a room to the desired temperature and then they switch off until the temperature drops again. This is what makes them so energy efficient. Also, these oil filled radiators consume very little amounts of electricity which means your heating bills should be reduced.

So if you are worried about the cost of using your central heating this year, then maybe you should consider buying a few oil filled radiators. Because they are quite inexpensive to buy, you will find that you will save money over the winter months. They can help you to get your room to that required temperature quite speedily. You will find that they are can be conveniently placed near to any electricity socket and they are quite safe for use in the vicinity of children or pets. You can even leave them on at night on a low setting and they will maintain a certain heat. And with most of these heaters coming fully equipped with timers, you can have them set to heat up your room before you get up in the morning.

Some people spend a lot of money heating their homes in the winter. Electricity and gas prices are very high and show no signs of coming down any time soon. Clever people are switching to heating oil as a fuel though. When they do they always need their tanks filled with heating oil ensuring they can always heat their home in winter.

Tags: , hvac, energy savings

Central Heating Benefits For The Family

Jeff — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 06:00:43 +0000

It seems simple and it is, but some people still don’t appreciate the fact that turning the central heating on can reduce the need for wearing layers in the home. Some homeowners have to sit in their coats when at home because they get so cold, but when you have central heating this doesn’t have to happen. And of course, the visitors wouldn’t be too pleased if they popped round.

Digital Thermostats

Many homeowners would like to turn their central heating on but don’t in case it costs too much. Opt for a digital thermostat if you are concerned about costs as this is a great cost-effective method. People end up with costly bills when they leave the central heating on all day, but if you keep your eye on a digital thermostat, this shouldn’t happen. In fact, you’ll be glad of the digital thermostat when summer comes around and there’s inevitably a few days a month when it gets a bit chilly and you think you have to resort to turning the central heating on for the whole day. With a thermostat, you can have the heat on for as long as you like.

Keeping The Kids Warm

Each winter morning can be bitter when you have to get up out of bed and venture downstairs in a cold house, but central heating puts a stop to that. Just be sure to pre-set the central heating system so you can make sure you get up in a nice warm house. If you don’t turn the heating on you will have to tell your family to wear more layers of clothing. Do you really want to have to tell your whole family to wear more layers? It would be so much easier just to turn the central heating on. If you have children in your family then its not fair to leave them cold in the house. Children should be kept warm and the central heating should be turned on. Without the heating warming all round the house, every time you entered another room you would get another blast of cold air, and god forbid you open the door to let the dog out – you will feel even colder!

Hopefully now you can appreciate the benefits of central heating. Turn the central heating on and then people wont feel like they are braving the arctic when they head downstairs, wrapped in a dressing gown. Reserve the warm woolly jumpers for when you’re outside, not for sitting on the sofa inside. All in all, the heat the central heating provides will make everyone happy in the home.

Tags: hvac, insulating, Insulation

Tags: hvac, Insulation, insulating

Large Homes And Large Boilers

Jeff — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 06:00:41 +0000

Living in a mansion or stately home doesn’t come cheap, and gas bills can be extortionate. No stately home owner wants the boiler to fail on them, especially with so many rooms that would end up cold! In fact, it doesn’t matter who you are or where you live, as everyone needs a boiler service at some point.

Don’t Neglect Your Boiler Service

Of course, most people have central heating installed these days, so it’s easy to see why the need for a boiler service is on the rise. Central heating engineers have no shortage of work doing boiler services. Stately homes might have much larger boilers to heat the whole building, since the properties are so large. This is the same with mansions. Any grand home needs to have a boiler service, because if something went wrong your bank balance would know about it! Having said that, a boiler service in a stately home or mansion will probably cost a pretty penny. As a general rule, the larger the size of the boiler then the longer it will take the engineer to check it over properly.

A New Boiler Will Cost, But It’s Necessary

In most cases, the boiler service should take place each year, but stately homes will probably need one a couple of times a year. If you’re not 100% sure what you should do, make sure you speak with a central heating company who will guide you in the right direction. Its better having it early than late, and as boiler explosions and the like are on the rise, it is even more imperative that your boiler undergoes a boiler service. It may be that you need a new boiler fitting and this could eat into your home maintenance costs, but living in a stately home or mansion means you need to be prepared for these sorts of things. Whether you’re a celebrity or a stately home heir, be sure to budget for a boiler service and the potential problems that may occur with owning such a large home and trying to heat it properly.

Tags: Insulation, , energy savings

Tags: energy savings, , Insulation

Learning The Basics Of Central Heating

Jeff — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 06:00:40 +0000

The world of central heating is often a complicated one, and many homeowners just don’t know the ins and outs of central heating systems, including boilers and radiators. They take it for granted that their house is warm when they want it to be and when they have hot water coming out of the tap. There’s still a lot more you could learn about central heating. To start with though, lets go back to basics and detail the essentials you need to know about central heating. This article could go on and on detailing everything you need to know about it, but for now, let’s start with the basics; the ABC’s of central heating.

Boilers

The boiler is where it all happens. Some homeowners are used to the old style boilers which are basic in comparison to the combi boilers of today, which heat the home as well as the water. Some people see the use of a combi boiler as a cost-effective alternative to the old appliances. People therefore choose to have combi boilers these days because they are much safer and last a long time.

Radiators

The radiators penetrate the heat into the room. Without a radiator in the room, the room would be freezing cold. Radiators do a very important job and are also useful in identifying when something might be wrong with your central heating system in general. No heat from the radiator means there is a fault. You never know, it could be something to do with the radiator or the boiler.

Central Heating System

The central heating system is the name given to the complete heating package, which encompasses the boiler and the radiators. Some people might also talk about the central heating system when they want to change the thermostat temperature.

So, here you have a quick breakdown about central heating and what the important components mean.

Tags: Heating, energy savings, Cooling

Tags: Cooling, energy savings, Heating

Try Heating Your Home With Your Fireplace

Jeff — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 04:44:33 +0000

Using a fireplace to heat your house is a lovely idea however, unfortunately, not very workable in its conventional form. Despite the fact that they feel very hot when you’re near by, they just can’t get that heat out to the rest of the room, let alone the rest of your house. But even a conventional fireplace can be modified so that it is as adequate a heater as it is romantic and lovely.

The problems with a regular fireplace are twofold. One, the doors are not tightly fitted, so heated air from the house gets pulled in and up the chimney. This heated air is then replaced by cold air from the outside. The result is that your heater has to work even harder to keep the home warm. As well, there is no efficient mechanism for getting the warm air from the fireplace distributed farther into your house.

To use your fireplace to heat your whole home as efficiently and effectively as you can, you’ll almost certainly need to use a fireplace insert. There are a few different models on the market, so spend a little time investigating what the options are before you purchase.

Installation will take more effort than in the past when individuals literally put a wood stove into the existing fireplace. But the inserts these days are also more efficient, safer and more attractive. To begin with, all the soot will be cleaned out of the chimney and the fireplace. A special chimney liner will then be installed which, when done correctly, will be able to stay in position when being cleaned.

A gasketed door will be added to guarantee a close fit. This will keep air consumption down to only what is required to burn the wood. A fireplace heat exchanger will do the work of pushing the warm air into the room and the rest of your home.

A fireplace blower is a viable alternative to the insert. The blower will suck in the unheated air and exchange it with air that has been warmed by the fireplace, moving it out far into the room. There are numerous variations of fireplace blowers to be had, and you may need to have electric wiring undertaken on your fireplace.

If you do not presently have a fireplace, perhaps because you’re adding one or only constructing your house, you may also look into a vented air kind of fireplace. These are far more effective at heating a room, although they may not be able to heat your entire home.

You’ll first need to decide what your spending limit is, as well as your objectives for heating. Armed with that knowledge, you can do your research. And you will find a way of making use of a fireplace to heat your home to fit the needs of your house and your pocketbook.

Tags: , Cooling, Heating

Tags: Cooling, , Heating

How To Save On Central Heating Costs

Jeff — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 04:44:26 +0000

We are always being told how to save money on our household bills, whether it’s on the news or an energy-saving advert we see on TV, and if you feel like you have exhausted every avenue of reducing your costs, you need to ask yourself if it is worth switching suppliers. If you need to save money on your central heating system, moving to a new supplier could be just the ticket you need. Many suppliers offer incentives for you to switch and be their new customer, so see if you can take advantage of this.

Make That Change

Many homeowners are reluctant to switch suppliers in case it proves to be a mistake. It may be that you feel the same and would rather stay with your expensive supplier just for the fact it is less hassle. Its perfectly reasonable to assume that it is the ‘safe’ option to stick with the same supplier, but it is by no means the cheapest option. When it comes to central heating, always check out what the various suppliers have to offer. Plus, the most important thing is saving money, and in times of a recession, this has never been so important for homeowners. You might not think it, but more people are shopping around for a way to achieve cost-effective home bills. You only need to consider the booming price comparison market online to realise just how important it is for people to search and compare the best deals.

Bills, Bills, Bills

Even if you’re still not 100% convinced that it is time to switch, getting some quotes in might be a good idea. It may be that you haven’t even got a central heating system installed yet, and you’re looking for a company that will do the best job. Indeed, with so much competition out there, finding the best supplier can sometimes feel like a long drawn out task. Energy costs are crippling British homeowners up and down the country and those in the know can reduce their bills just by knowing what to do. Never just assume that your supplier is the only one there is – there is always a choice. With suppliers galore, your central heating system doesn’t have to be arranged through just one of them.

If you want to save money on everything from hot water to central heating, switching suppliers could be the best solution. No matter how small the reduction is, if you get better customer service then this is another great reason for switching, and you wont regret your decision.

Tags: insulating, , hvac

Tags: , insulating, hvac

Tricks Of The Trade – Save Money On Your Heating Bills

Jeff — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 04:44:25 +0000

He’s a name familiar to thousands in the UK, and he doesn’t show any sign of losing the nation’s interest any time soon. Martin Lewis is revered as the Money Saving Expert, and if you haven’t heard of him then it might be worth checking what he has to say. If you’ve got central heating and you’re looking for a way to reduce the bills, the online money-saving portal should prove useful. Once you have done a bit of research online, you can soon become your own money saving expert and know the best ways to free up some cash. So, read on for some tips to get you started.

Shop around – for those still new to the idea of ‘shopping around’ for the best heating deal, don’t be afraid to try it out. In order to make life easier, check out some price comparison sites and see what information they return to you. If you haven’t had central heating installed yet, it might be worth calling for some central heating quotes to see what they suggest. Don’t fall into the trap of getting one quote and accepting it immediately. How can you tell if it’s a good deal?

New boiler time – a new boiler could actually save you a lot of money in the long run. Indeed, it is a pricey expense to start with, because you need to pay for the appliance and installation, but you should find that your heating costs reduce considerably when a new boiler is put in place. A new boiler heats up much more quickly and the house will get warmer, meaning you don’t need to have the central heating turned on as long.

Get a boiler repaired – not everyone can afford to splash out on a new boiler, so getting the boiler repaired may be the better solution for you. If you don’t know if your boiler is working to the best of its ability, book a boiler service in and see what the engineer recommends. Trust what the engineer says and if your boiler needs repairing then ask him to show you what has failed on it. A boiler repair is going to be much cheaper than having a new boiler fitted, but the long term heating costs might not be so pleasing to the bank balance.

Now you have a few tips for becoming your own money saving expert, so use them wisely. When it comes to energy saving, and central heating in particular, any money saving tips can prove invaluable.

Tags: Insulation, insulating, hvac

Tags: hvac, Insulation, insulating

Think About Central Heating When Buying A New Home

Jeff — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:44:03 +0000

If you are thinking of moving house, one of the first things you should put on your list is the need for central heating installation. This is particularly true with rising energy costs.

Things to Consider With Heating

As you inspect potential homes, the central heating installation should be foremost in your mind. If the potential new home hasn’t already benefited from central heating installation, now is your chance to work out where it should go.

1. Layout – Lets look at the layout first, as this does have an influence over your energy bills. While high ceilings are beautiful architectural aspects, they can be a huge heating issue. The problem is that heat rises, so you will need more heating to heat the entire home when you have high ceilings. Always remember that high ceilings equate to high-energy bills.

A second layout issue concerns the number of stories in the residence. With a home that has many levels, considering how you intend to heat all the floors is important, especially the lower ones. Tri-level homes often have a problem with something called the zone effect. Quite often, this means that the lower level rooms are cold and the top level rooms are warm. Unless you have a very sophisticated heating system, tri-level residences are going to drive your heating bill through the roof.

2. Control Areas – One way to reduce the central heating requirements for high ceiling and tri-level homes is a controllable central heating system. Many modern heating systems allow you to isolate particular sections of the home you wish to heat. These can be a godsend for larger homes where certain rooms are not used often. If the home you’re moving to hasn’t already had central heating installation, this is something you can consider.

3. Vents – A more mundane, but important issue, are vent locations. It has to be said that the vent layout in some homes leaves a lot to be desired. If you find vents located under windows, you can expect the heating bills to be outrageous. In addition to this, rooms without any vents can also be problematic, as they will take longer to heat up meaning you have to have the heating turned on for longer.

If it is a new home you’re thinking of buying, the central heating installation shouldn’t pose much of a problem as all the details above should have been taken into consideration by the developers. Just be wary of older homes, as their high ceilings and generally larger rooms can make your central heating and energy bills rocket.

Tags: , hvac, Cooling

Tags: hvac, Cooling,

Suffering With Central Heating Costs? Follow These Tips

Jeff — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:43:57 +0000

We know that homeowners are having to deal with rising energy prices, so it makes sense to try and reduce the central heating costs any way we can. Take a look at the 5 tips below to help you work out ways to keep costs to a minimum…so you have more money to spend on something else! Remember that there are small changes that you can make as well, which still have an effect on your overall costs.

1. Head down to the basement and reduce the setting on your hot water thermostat by about 10 degrees. Of course, use your own judgement, but you will probably find that you don’t need to go below 120 degrees with the thermostat temperature.

2. Since you’re already at your boiler adjusting the heat, it is a good idea to check that the filters are clean too. A dirty and clogged filter will force your unit to work much harder and stay on longer as it struggles to penetrate anything through the central heating system.

3. Not only do you need to follow the above tips, you also need to make sure there are no leaks with your central heating system. If you have any disconnects or leaks, your heating bills could be 25% higher than they need to be if these gaps were sealed. Don’t worry about playing around with the appliance yourself, as that’s what the central heating experts are there for – call them up and they will send an engineer round. While the engineer is at your home, ask him to check the ducts too to make sure your system is running as efficiently as possible.

4. Adjust your thermostat a few degrees lower. Believe me, this really adds up. When the bill comes through you will be glad you did this.

5. If you suspect that your thermostat isn’t the most modern on the market, make sure you speak to someone about getting a new one which is programmable. The reason is, you can set the thermostat so the temperature setting in your house is lower at night than during the day, when you are awake. The great thing about this is that you can have a lovely warm house just before you arrive home, as the thermostat will only program heating and hot water as you want it to be. Since they are a very popular option these days, your engineer will be able to fit one of these programmable thermostats in no time at all.

Your central heating bills could be slashed in half if you follow the advice herein. You can get most of them done in just one day, but the payoff will last for as long as you live there! There has never been a better time to start making those necessary changes to your energy bills.

Tags: Cooling, , Heating

Tags: , Cooling, Heating

Shop Around For A Better Central Heating Company

Jeff — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:59:35 +0000

Everyone has their own preferred way of keeping warm at home. You could opt for a hot water bottle to snuggle up with on the sofa. Others will simply head straight up to bed and turn on the electric blanket to provide full body warmth. However, did you know that central heating could actually be more cost effective? The benefits of central heating as opposed to a hot water bottle or an electric blanket is that it will heat the whole house rather than just one area.

As you probably know already though, there aren’t many homes in Britain today that haven’t switched to central heating. However, the issue arises when people choose not to use them because they think they are too costly. People have lost faith in the UK’s most well-known central heating supplier, and this is because of their high prices. We all know that the UK is in the middle of a recession, but still this defiant heating supplier continues to increase prices for struggling homeowners. But there is a solution, and that is simply to look online and find another provider. Its not fair that homeowners are resorting to using their hot water bottles because they feel their central heating is too expensive.

The hot water bottle has been in use for many generations and continues to be a popular choice for a quick feeling of warmth. Those that suffer with period pain can benefit from using a hot water bottle. Many homeowners have seen the light with a new central heating company and can now have the best of both worlds – leave the hot water bottle to soothe aching tummies and turn the central heating on to keep other people in the home nice and warm.

It is essential that you don’t neglect the importance of staying warm and that means fully embracing central heating and, if needs be, finding that more cost-effective energy supplier. A hot water bottle might give your whole body warmth but it doesn’t solve the problem of other people feeling cold. Therefore you need to make sure you have central heating installed in your home to get the full benefit of everyone feeling warm. Don’t feel demoralised by your current central heating supplier and feel like they are the only one you can use – they’re most definitely not and all you need to do is look around for a much more cost-effective alternative. By doing this, you can make sure that the hot water bottle is reserved only for those who have pain and the home stays nice and warm all year round.

Tags: insulating, energy savings, Heating