Heating bill: reduce it by 10% with a simple tip costing less than €3 this winter

Winter is setting in and you’re worried about your heating bill. But you’re not alone, as energy prices continue to fluctuate. Here are some simple steps you can take to save up to 10% without shivering.

Objective 10% cold-free at home

Start by aiming for 19°C in the living room and 17°C in the bedrooms. According to Ademe, lowering the temperature by 1°C reduces consumption by around 7%. This automatically reduces your heating bill. Don’t forget low-occupancy rooms, which can remain at 16°C.

Schedule periods that are consistent with your own rhythms. At night, lower the temperature to 16-17°C, then raise it again before waking up. In addition, limit sudden rises in temperature, which over-consume energy. This discipline will reduce your heating bill over the long term.

Have your boiler serviced once a year. Careful adjustment and a clean burner can save up to 8-12%. Then, bleed the radiators before winter for even heat. You’ll stabilize comfort and heating bills.

“Every degree counts more than you think.”

Quick things to do this weekend

Clear the space around the emitters to let the air circulate. Heavy furniture and curtains block convection and waste kWh. Reflective panels behind radiators reflect heat back into the room. This simple gesture helps your heating bill.

Seal doors and windows with gaskets, seals or foam. In addition, close shutters and blinds as soon as night falls to limit heat loss. Thick curtains create an effective thermal barrier. In short, you gain comfort at reduced cost.

• Bleed radiators and check circuit pressure
• Program day/night time slots to suit your schedule
• Reduce the setpoint by 1°C in low-occupancy rooms
• Close blinds and draw curtains after sunset
• Schedule annual boiler or stove maintenance

Insulate better, heat less

Track down stray draughts around shutter boxes, sockets and hatches. Seal air leaks and keep heat where it belongs. Ventilate for 5 to 10 minutes with the window wide open, then close again. This ritual reduces heat loss and heating bills.

Look at the attic space, which is often poorly insulated. A few extra centimetres of insulation will cut the most significant losses. In addition, insulating hot water pipes limits distribution losses. Your heating bill will soon reflect these improvements.

Have the “water law” set if you have a boiler with an outdoor sensor. It adapts the water temperature to the weather. Then, a balancing system distributes the heat room by room. You avoid local overheating and a feeling of cold elsewhere.

The Silvercrest programmable thermostat, available from Lidl, offers simple, weekly control. The advertised investment is around €200-250 for precise, regular control.

Fine temperature control

Create heating zones if possible in your home. This way, you heat the right room, at the right time, at the right temperature. As a result, you avoid unnecessary hours of absence. This targeted control reduces your heating bill.

Install or adjust thermostatic heads. Set to 3 for around 19°C, and never cover the radiators. On the other hand, turn down to 2 in the bedrooms and 1 in the hallways. Your heating bill will soon be affected.

Continuous monitoring, comparison and correction

Keep a weekly record of your kWh and the weather. In addition, track a simple indicator such as kWh/m² heated. Then adjust one parameter at a time to measure its effect. This way, you can clearly see the impact on your heating bill.

Check your contract power and the type of energy offer. Depending on your profile, a more suitable contract can smooth out costs. And don’t be tempted to pay extra for the wrong options. A good framework limits the pressure on your heating bill.

Adopt constant eco-gestures: shorter showers, washing at 30°C, lids on pots and pans. Also, close the doors of unheated rooms to keep the heat in. From now on, you’ll be able to control your day-to-day comfort effortlessly. In short, these reflexes reduce your heating bill.

• Heating bill