MANY of us are doing our best to stay away from the thermostat this winter but we still want to keep our houses warm – and there’s a trick.
It may be cheaper for you to heat a single room that you spend most of your time in as opposed to heating a whole house.
1
In that case, it might be worth looking into getting an oil radiator.
Oil radiators use an electrical element to heat up thermal oil inside.
Most are extremely energy efficient as they convert every single watt of electricity they draw from the wall sockets into usable heat.
CheckaTrade shows that the average cost of running your heating per hour is 7p per kilowatt-hour.
Read more on heat hacks
That’s around £1.68 an hour and about £94.08.
But a small 500W radiator oil-filled radiator could set you back around £31.20 a week if you heat just one room.
With an oil radiator, you can set your desired temperature and control your usage.
These types of gadgets are particularly useful when heating up a small room as opposed to heating a whole house.
Most read in Money
Oil-filled heaters can cost as little as 13p an hour run though it will depend on its size.
One of the best things about oil heaters is they are actually safe to use overnight while you sleep.
Shoppers have been flocking to Argos to nab an oil-filled radiator which is only £40.
The Challenge 1kW Oil-Filled Radiators is freestanding and comes with a one-year guarantee.
It’s easy to manoeuvre and comes with an adjustable heat setting, and the gadget has received rave reviews online.
One user said: “Heats up quickly, I’ve got quite a large living room and it heats it up no problem, would recommend.”
Another said: “Use in the bedroom at night cheap to run and does its job.”
“Perfect for the bedroom heats room adequately and doesn’t take up much room,” said a third.
A fourth shopper claimed: “Bought for my elderly mother because of boiler problems at the time and heated flat well at reasonable running costs.”
Many other stores sell oil-filled radiators in B&Q prices start from £56.
In Screwfix, prices start from as little as £34.99 but you will need to factor in a £5 delivery charge.
In Dunelm, prices are a little higher starting from £59.
If you are interested in getting an oil radiator, you should avoid leaving any flammable objects near it.
Low power energy settings on an energy oil-filled radiator will be the best option for keeping your bills as low as possible.
Using an oil radiator is not advised if you’re looking to heat a whole house.
Remember they do take a bit of time to warm up around 20 – 30 minutes.
Keeping warm this winter
There are a few other things you can do to keep warm this winter without breaking the bank.
Get yourself a hot water bottle, they are always great for a cost-free way of keeping warm.
If you’ve got a few pennies to spare consider buying an electric blanket.
They are another great way to keep warm and most cost around 3p an hour to run.
Don’t forget about preventative measures, draught-proof your home and seal your windows to stop air coming in.
Prices for draught excluders start from a fiver in most stores but a thick blanket rolled up will work just as well.
Loft insulation is also very important as it can stop heat escaping, therefore slashing your heating bill.
You can buy insulation from all local builder merchants or retailers such as B&Q and Wickes.
Read More on The Sun
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
You can also join our new Sun Money Facebook group to share stories and tips and engage with the consumer team and other group members.
