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“Where you born in a barn?” it could be argued is one of the most “bite your tongue” questions we all get asked growing up. Leave that kitchen door slightly ajar as you run in to get a KitKat or Jammie Dodger and you would get berated by an elder for the mere notion of having let a slither of warm air get out.
Back in those days it’s safe to say not everyone cared too much about how long the heating was on for (as long as it kept the house warm). We all have to take some responsibility and act smart when it comes to ethically heating our homes, workspaces and pretty much anywhere we want to nip a chill out of the air.
Looking to take charge of your home heating and make the little changes that can have a massive impact? Here are some amazing home tips to save energy you should try out:
Become the thermostat master!
I don’t know whose idea it was to create home heating controls, but never in my life have I been in two different homes that have the same little box affixed to the wall. It’s the one with only a few buttons that you’re meant to have expert knowledge on just to get the timer to work in the evenings.
I want to say a lot of us will waste energy simply because we don’t know and are afraid of taking the time to learn how our thermostats work. We’ll all gladly do a spot of Googling when there’s a leak or a radiator stops working, but going out of your way to look up and read through a thermostat’s manual is madness, right?
Wrong! You can find PDF files for pretty much every make and model online and it only takes five minutes all out to learn what each button does. Honestly give it a go right now, and you’ll surprise yourself at how easy it is.
You’ll be placing split time and advancing the boiler before you know it. Speaking of which….
Maybe turn the heating off?
I’m writing this in the middle of another glorious British summer. While it can be easy to cook up a storm in the kitchen or get the barbeque going in the early evening, how many of us are guilty of going from throwing a blanket over ourselves in the garden around dusk, to having the kettle, to hitting boost on the thermostat just to get some warmth back for an hour?
When it comes to this time of year, it’s smarter to completely knock off any pre-set timers on home heating and embrace whatever the day brings up. I’d rather have to change from shorts to trousers than thinking it’s better to have the heating back on
Or maybe turn it on periodically?
Not all of us have the luxury of a nice insulated home, so maybe the heating does still have to come on even at this time of year. You can get smart with your home heating (quite literally) by getting smart heating controls. Many of the ads on the TV and radio will be for a digital replacement for your entire home system, but you can be even smarter and get digital programmable heating controls for individual radiators.
Trade Radiators have smart thermostats made just for radiators that you replace old knobs with. You can pre-set the temperature for each radiator around the house without worrying about wasting energy and add a boost as well so you’re not heating the whole house.
Know your (heating) limit
Here’s another of my home tips to save energy tip in line with radiators in rooms. Every room in your home needs a different level of energy to get warm because they’re all different sizes and shapes. And while simply buying the biggest radiator for that space and cranking it up is the easiest option, if you know how much energy it takes, you can save money and energy.
The measurement used is the British Thermal Unit (BTU for short) and can really help you cut the amount of energy you need to use. Just look online for a heating calculator, pop in the measurements, and you’ll soon know how much heat you need and whether your radiator is the right size too.
Want more ethical inspiration in your daily life?
Read my post on 5 Tips for a Healthier and Greener Workplace Environment, and stay up to date with all my ethical home & garden blogposts here.