Focus on Home Heating continued...
What to look for
Easy efficient home heating is made simple through a combination of thought and research. Many suppliers offer tips on their websites to help you decide on the best solution for your particular requirements. With 45 per cent of household utilities spending going to heating and cooling, it's worth the investment! Walk around your home to assess the needs and let your fingers do the walking on the websites.
SIZE does matter. Choose an appropriate appliance for the space you want to heat. It sounds simple but this is often overlooked. For instance, there are new appliances on the market which use convection heating technology and are designed specifically for open-plan living.
OSCILLATION essentially means that the hot air is directed in more than one direction – very helpful for mid-size rooms.
STYLE, as always, comes into play. Manufacturers recognise that consumers want appliances with looks to match their functionality, hence the new options available this season. Select from traditional, retro and sleek contemporary designs. In fact, many of them look more like objets d'art than appliances!
SAFETY is paramount. Make sure your home is fitted with a smoke alarm this winter. Also, if you’re buying a small appliance, check that it features a 'safety cut-out', so if it’s knocked over, it turns off automatically.
6 Top Tips For Heating Your Home
- Safety is the most important tip! Never leave clothes unattended in front of the heater, and never dry them by laying them on top of it. Teach children about heater safety early and, of course, don't leave them unattended in the same room as an operating appliance.
- Put a bowl of water in a room with a heater running to add moisture to the air and make it more comfortable and less drying.
- Ensure all rooms are free from draughts to maximise heating efficiency – heavy curtains and door runners reduce energy bills. Conduct an energy audit of your home before winter kicks in and make sure all gaps are sealed.
- Heat only the rooms you use. It sounds obvious but with central heating, many people heat the entire home – even the guestrooms.
- Maintain heating appliances regularly to maximise efficiency and upgrade to newer, more energy-efficient solutions as often as possible.
- Get in touch with nature – open the curtains and let the morning sun shine in, while keeping them closed on the other side of the house. Install solar-powered heating if possible and always look for energy-efficiency as a priority.
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