Stop heating bills going through the roof

THE weather, that quintessentially British obsession, becomes even more of a talking point in the runup to Christmas. But after an exceptionally warm autumn, we could be at risk of getting carried away and ignoring predictions of an impending freeze.

According to experts, a blast of cold weather bringing gale-force winds, snow and icy conditions is expected from the beginning of December.

And if you need a chilling reminder of what may lie in store, then think back to last December when the country was blanketed in deep snow.

So after enjoying the pleasantly unseasonal highs of up to 17C, it’s time to start making sure the family home isn’t left out in the cold.

Much has changed since last year. Hikes in energy prices mean that low temperatures this year are likely to cost average households an extra £224.

‘‘At the moment, customers can make savings of about £300 a year against the average UK yearly bill if they opt for the cheapest online or fixed-term tariff,’’ suggests Mark Todd, director of the independent price comparison service Energyhelpline.com. ‘‘At present, the best online deal is from First Utility and costs £1,030 a year and the cheapest fixed offer is from EDF and costs £1,051 a year. It also helps if you pay by direct debit.’’ It’s far easier to switch suppliers than you might think. Companies such as the Energyhelpline.com will do the hard work for you.

Householders can call freephone number 0800-074-0745 to speak to an independent adviser.

Or use the internet to find and sign up to the best deals, at websites such as uswitch.com.

Other tips to keep you warm for less include turning down the thermostat to the lowest, comfortable temperature. Ideally, that’s 20C for living areas and 18C for bedrooms, but just one degree less can save £50 on your heating bill each year.

TURN UP THE HEAT

IN the same way that having your heating system on a timer is pretty much standard practice when it comes to maximising a home’s energy efficiency, there are also new gadgets that help you get the most from your heating.

The new Radiator Booster (£24.99, tangogroup.net) raises temperature of rooms by up to 3C, knocking ten per cent off your yearly gas and electric bills. Which? consumer magazine gave this slim unit, which sits on top of the radiator and circulates trapped heat around the room, the thumbs-up.

While it may be a modern myth that 40 per cent of body heat is lost through our heads, it’s a rather different scenario when it comes to roofs. A quarter of heat is lost through the roof of a house.

According to the Energy Saving Trust (EST), fitting 270mm of loft insulation can save £175 a year on your bill.

In addition, a great majority of homes in the UK are likely to have cavity walls, and a third of heat can be lost that way. Yet these can be insulated for as little as £100, say experts. The EST has a free advice centre (0800-512-012) or to find a registered installer visit nationalin sulationassociation.org.uk. Having your walls insulated could save you about a £135 a year.

Lining windows and doors with draughtproofing material and replacing thin window glass with thicker panes are other tricks that can cut your energy bills.

KEEP OUT OF HOT WATER

LAST December, the mercury dipped to an average temperature of minus 6C during the day, and some parts of the country felt more like the North Pole when minus 18C was recorded at night. It was the coldest December since records began, and during the height of the big freeze some areas were under more than 40cm of snow in places. But there was worse was to come.

When the snow thawed, a shocking 1.5 million homes suffered burst water pipes and, according to thisismoney.co.uk, insurers paid out £900m on water leak claims.

To lower the risk and misery of flooding, ensure hot and cold pipes are properly insulated.

Lagging can be bought from most DIY shops, and you don’t need a plumber’s handbook to insulate pipes in the attic and the cold water tank.

Lagging will protect the pipes and tanks by keeping water hotter for longer, and can also save you £15 on your energy bill. For more information on protecting your home against burst pipes, visit biba.org.uk.

For tenants or homeowners, a broken boiler and lack of hot water is everyone’s worst nightmare.

And with heating bills estimated to come in at a record £500-plus for the average home for the period December to February 2012, boiler repairs and maintenance are definitely not on Santa’s wish list.

‘‘Keep your boiler until it breaks,’’ advises Todd. ‘‘Typically, a new boiler costs £2,000 to install and can save you £100-£200 a year in costs. That gives it a ten to 20-year payback, by which point it will probably have broken and you’ll need to get another.

‘‘In general, replacing your boiler is unlikely to save you money. The only exceptions would be if you get a huge discount on the new boiler, or you have a very high heating bill.’’ With this in mind, Boostaboiler (£97.60, boostaboiler.co.uk) fires up the imagination by using powerful magnetic technology to enhance your boiler’s efficiency, while reducing fuel consumption. Quick and easy to install, it straps onto your boiler pipe and can save you around £74 per year, based on an average annual gas bill of £740.