Keeping your home warm

The rising cost of living is affecting many of us, especially during these winter months when you might be worried about being able to affordably heat your home. 

It’s important you feel able to heat your home, to protect your and your family’s health.  

Here’s some tips on keeping costs down while ensuring your home is warm this winter: 

• If your radiators have valves, turn them up in the rooms you want to keep warm and down in the rooms you aren’t using. 
• If you have a combi boiler, turn the flow temperature down. 
• Use timers on your central heating. 
• If you can, set your thermostat at the lowest comfortable temperature (recommended 18°C to 21°C). 
• Take regular meter readings to ensure your bills are accurate. 
• An annual heating service will ensure the performance of your heating throughout the year. If you rent your home, your landlord will arrange this.  
• Open curtains during the day and close them at night, to let warmth in and keep cold out. 
• Wash your clothes on a lower temperature if you can. 
• Move furniture away from radiators or heaters if you can, to help heat travel around your home. 
• Remember, it’s important to keep your home ventilated, too. Try not to block ventilation such as windows, air blocks or extractor fans.