When it comes to staying warm in the UK this winter, things are a little different than in previous years. Not only are winters getting colder, but the cost of fuel and gas is rising. This makes it more difficult to stay warm, but there are some tips to help you keep your family safe and comfortable, regardless of your heating services in Gloucester.
Bleed Your Radiators
Not everyone knows that if their radiator isn’t heating all the way up, they need to bleed it. This is a very simple process that will allow the trapped air in the system to escape. The hair can prevent the hot water from getting all the way to the top of the radiator. All you need to do is open the radiator valve with a radiator bleed key. It will hiss out air and once the water appears, you can close it again. Now you should notice more warmth seeping through the radiator.
Add More Insulation
You can make or purchase your own insulation for a variety of places in your home. Most heating installations in Gloucester include radiators and if you place a reflective piece of card behind the radiator, it will help reflect the heat back into the room. The heat isn’t absorbed by the walls but instead is bounced around the room to help prevent excessive cooling.
You should also make a point of insulating your pipes. Pipe lagging or wrapping pipes in foam tubes has dual purposes. First, it ensures your pipes won’t freeze on the coldest days. Second, the extra insulation ensures the heat from your pipes doesn’t escape, so the hot water stays hot for much longer. It’s very easy to install pipe lagging, and you need no tools to do so.
It’s also helpful to add another layer of insulation in the attic. This is where most of the heat in a house escapes, so keep it extra warm downstairs by spreading out more insulation in the attic. You should aim to provide as much insulation as possible.
Wear More Clothes
If you want to stay warm without spending more energy, you should consider wearing winter clothing. A warm jacket will help you feel warm no matter where you are and a good pair of wool socks or a woollen hat will help you feel toasty in no time.
You can turn down your thermostat as you add more clothing. You should aim to have your thermostat set to somewhere between 18-21° for maximum savings while still staying warm enough to survive in the house. This will keep the costs to a minimum. Add some extra blankets to the beds and lay out some carpets to keep your feet warm. In no time, you’ll find that it is a far warmer space for your family.
Prevent Draughts
A draught not only makes you feel colder, but it can also allow for heat to escape from your home. Ideally, you’ll have no draughts, but unless your home is brand new, this isn’t likely to happen. You can protect your home from draughts and cold air by laying insulating tape around doors and windows. It’s not pricey and will help keep the house much warmer.
Close the Curtains
You should cover your windows as much as possible. Even if you have double or triple-glazed windows, this is still a point where heat can escape and cold can make it in. There are actually thermal curtains that can help your home stay as warm as possible when placed in the window.
When you use draught tape and thermal curtains, you can prevent quite a lot of temperature fluctuations. You’ll need to take the time to look around your home and see where the cold is coming in.
Close Off Rooms
If you don’t use all your rooms in the house, you can close off the ones that you tend not to use. This will help the boiler work more efficiently and will warm just the spaces that you live in. Be sure to turn off the radiators or vents in the rooms that you are not staying in.
You can also place insulation or rolled-up blankets along the bottoms of the doors so you don’t get cold draughts coming in from the unused rooms.
Change Your Furniture Around
How open are your main rooms? If the radiator is hidden behind a sofa or is blocked by a bookshelf, you may need to do some rearranging. Keep furniture away from the radiators so you can enjoy the full warmth. You don’t want anything to block the possibility of more heat from your radiator, so you’ll need to carefully consider where to put your items.
Service Your Boiler
Every year, your boiler should be checked over and receive a boiler service. This is something that should be done for all boilers. Gloucester has plenty of services that can provide this for you. Ideally, you’ll service your boiler before the colder weather hits, but proper maintenance can still be done during the winter.
If you notice that your boiler is doing poorly or isn’t working as well, you should call a heating company in Gloucester to examine the boiler. It’s important that it be in excellent condition, particularly as the weather becomes colder. In some cases, you may need to replace the boiler completely.
Signs You Need a Boiler Replacement Gloucester
Usually, you’ll catch the issues with your boiler when you do your annual maintenance. However, if this somehow was missed, you should know what to look for if the boiler is starting to fail and may need to be replaced with one of the other types of heating systems. Gloucester heating companies can help you replace a boiler at any time of year, but this is obviously more difficult in the dead of winter.
Here are some of the signs that your boiler needs to be replaced:
Odd Odours
You want to avoid any type of gas leak in your home, but if you notice a sulphuric smell in the area of the boiler, this could be a gas leak. You should turn the boiler off immediately and call for help. You never want to risk using the boiler if it is still leaking gas, as it could be deadly to do so. Instead, get help immediately.
Weird Noises
Boilers do tend to make noises, but if you’ve noticed that the noises are louder lately or are far more frequent, it could be that the boiler is starting to break down. Certain sounds could mean specific things, so if you notice too many sounds, you should call in an expert to look at the boiler. They can tell you if the system needs to be flushed or if there’s something else that needs to be done.
A very noisy boiler system may need to be replaced completely.
Higher Energy and Gas Bills
Is your boiler losing its efficiency? Older boilers tend to be more inefficient to run and this can cause your bills to increase. If you notice that your boiler seems less efficient, you should get it checked out.
If your boiler is older than 7-8 years, you may want to consider replacing it, as new options will be far more efficient and cost-effective. This is a personal choice if things haven’t started to break down yet, but this is certainly going to cause issues in the near future, so make your decision wisely.
Yellow Flames
The boiler flame is supposed to be blue and if it changes, you need to call an engineer rapidly. Yellow or orange flames indicate a serious problem and it may be enough to cause the entire system to shut down. This is why it’s best to stop the boiler and call for help. The designated engineer can tell you what is going on.
Frequent Breakdowns
If you notice that your boiler needs more and more repairs and just keeps breaking down, it’s time to look at getting a new one. Yes, it’s more expensive to buy new, but you’ll end up spending that same amount overtime trying to keep the old boiler functional. You will need to track how often the boiler needs repairs and if it is more than once every two or three months, you should consider replacing it.
Are you looking for a boiler replacement? Gloucester-based Mitchells can help you. We’re a heating company in Gloucester, ready to help you stay warm this winter, whether you need a boiler service or a replacement. Contact us now for more information and to schedule your annual boiler maintenance. If you need something more urgent, we also have an emergency option so we can determine what the issue is with your heating system.