WINTER is on its way and many households will soon be thinking about putting their heating on – or how to avoid it.
While energy bills have fallen slightly because Ofgem’s price cap dropped from October 1, many of us will still struggle to afford to keep our homes warm.
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Bills have fallen from an average of £2,074 a year to £1,923, though the exact amount you pay will depend on usage.
But they remain far higher than in previous winters and the cost-of-living crisis continues to hit lots of families hard.
With this in mind, it’s important to take all the steps you can to keep energy costs as low as possible.
We spoke to Tyron Ekrem, founder of boiler and heating specialist, Fair Fix.
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The heating supremo has a clever little trick for saving cash.
He told The Sun: “If you are unsure where draughts in your home are coming from, there’s a trick you can try using toilet roll.”
According to Tyrone, this household staple will help you identify which areas to tackle to try and stop the draught.
“Take any two-play toilet roll and remove one layer so you have just one thin sheet left,” he said.
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“Gently hold this around the window or door. The draught will either suck the toilet paper in, or, if it’s coming from inside, will blow the toilet paper from your hand.”
This will cost you next to nothing. At Asda, you can pick up a six-pack of loo rolls for £2.39, but you’ll surely have some to hand anyway.
“It’s an old trade trick that is incredibly effective and completely safe to try,” said Tyrone.
“You can carry it out throughout your home, helping you work out which areas you need to prioritise in your draught-proofing.”
Just make sure that before you do, you close all windows and doors and switch off any appliances which could cause a disturbance in the air.
A similar hack that is doing the rounds is one which suggests slowly moving a cigarette lighter or candle around the edge of a window or door to spot draughts.
But Tyrone is quick to warn against this, due to the potential fire risk.
“It’s dangerous having flames close to curtains and furniture,” said the heating expert.
“The loo roll hack is far safer.”
Once you’ve identified where the draughts are coming from, Tyrone recommends sticking self-adhesive weather strips in the gaps around windows and doors.
He said: “These can help prevent cold air from coming in.”
You can find a roll of tape for £6 from Dunelm and for around £5 on Amazon.
Elsewhere, you can get a roll of tape from Hiatt Hardware for less than £3. Strips can be cut to different lengths to fit your window size.
According to the Energy Saving Trust, this could save you around £45 a year on your energy bills.
More ways to tackle draughts and save cash
Tyrone said: “When it comes to properly heating your home draughts can prove problematic. This is a really simple way to save money on your bills.”
You could also look at investing in a ‘door brush’ to go along the bottom of your door.
At Screwfix, the Stormguard heavy duty brush seal is currently reduced from £8.19 to £5.69.
Alternatively, you could buy yourself a draught excluder. Matalan has a grey teddy fleece version for £10.
For an even cheaper option, why not fashion your own from an old pair of tights filled with rags?
You can even get a draught excluder for your letterbox. There’s one on sale at B&Q for £4.50.
When sealing any gaps, take care not to block up any vents as these allow fresh air to flow into the home, helping to prevent damp and mould.
While you’re draught proofing, don’t forget that heavy, lined curtains or sealed shutters will all help to cut draughts. Chimney balloons can also help keep the heat in.
Tyrone said: “The old tricks work a treat. Keep your doors shut to maximise heat efficiency, and keep your thermostat turned down over a more consistent period, rather than having the heating off, and then dialling it up to high.”
The same goes for your hot water cylinder, according to the heating aficionado.
He said: “There’s a common misconception that having the cylinder on means it’s in constant use. It isn’t. It only heats your water when you use it.”
That said, it needs to reach a point at which it can heat your water in the first place.
Tyrone added: “It’s this initial start-up phase that requires the most energy for both your boiler and cylinder, and that’s where you will run up your energy bill if you constantly turn them on and off.”
One further option to think about when it comes to draughts, is a thermal camera. You can use one of these devices to scan your home and detect where heat is being lost.
Tyrone said: “This is a higher-end and more costly solution. But if you’ve just purchased a property, for example, and are renovating, it may be a smart investment.”
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Equally, with certain suppliers, such as Octopus Energy, you may be able to loan a thermal camera which you can plug into your mobile phone.
This connects the camera via Bluetooth to an app which reveals the exact spots in your home where you’re losing heat. You can then return the device when you’re done.
