Hate those heating bills?

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• Insulate your home properly. If your loft is properly insulated you will lose less heat through the roof, keeping those energy bills down.
• Heating water is one of the most energy intensive applications of electricity in the home. If you have an electric water heater, consider adding a heater blanket to help insulate it further - these are quite cheap and can pay for themselves very quickly. Additionally, check the lagging around exposed pipes and replace if necessary.
• Replacing a 10 year old boiler with an efficient new one could reduce your energy consumption by a third!(www.direct.gov.uk).
• Is your water too hot? Your cylinder thermostat should be set at 60°C/140°F.
• During winter, wear more clothing as it may allow you to turn your thermostat down. Similarly, wearing less clothing over summer will stop your air conditioning from working so hard. A degree or two either way can make a huge difference. According to the Energy Saving Trust, reducing your room temperature by 1°C could cut your heating bills by up to 10 percent and typically saves around £50 per year.
• If you have a programmer, set your heating and hot water to come on only when required rather than all the time.
• Ensure your heater and air conditioning system is regularly serviced as required - this will help keep it performing at its maximum efficiency.
• Close your curtains at dusk to stop heat escaping through the windows and check for draughts around windows and doors.
• Whether you're heating or cooling your home, keep the doors shut to rooms that don't require it.

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