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3 key questions answered about heating your home in winter

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22-10-2020

During the colder months, it’s fair to say that many of us are desperate to do whatever we can to keep our humble abodes cosy – and that might mean listening to certain word-of-mouth suggestions about what’s effective in ensuring a house’s warmth.


Our Finchley, Sutton and Putney plumbers therefore decided to look through some of the questions that are commonly asked about what does or doesn’t preserve temperature in a property during the winter, so that you can follow what works... and sidestep the myths.

Will putting up the thermostat make my home heat up quicker?

Alas, in most cases, your property isn’t going to heat up faster simply because you put your thermostat on a higher setting.

A boiler doesn’t typically ‘work harder’ in response to the temperature being cranked up – it’ll just keep going for longer until it reaches whatever temperature the thermostat has been set at, before turning off.

Which is cheaper – electric heaters or radiators?

While it might be tempting to use an electric heater for warmth if you only need heat in one small part of a room, electricity is unfortunately much more expensive than gas.

You’d therefore need to be using a lot less heat for it to be more economical to use an electric heater than your central heating.

Does putting clingfilm on the windows work?

Bizarrely, clingfilm – despite being more customarily used for the wrapping of sandwiches – can be genuinely effective in keeping your property warm. Putting a sheet of clingfilm on your windows traps a small layer of air, thereby helping to prevent the escape of heat.

However, it’s not a trick that’s specific to clingfilm, which might not even be the most effective material for the job. The Energy Saving Trust has said that any transparent and airtight material will work as a second layer of glazing – and while clingfilm should deliver results, specialist secondary glazing will be a longer-lasting solution.

But it’s not just about the small ‘tips and tricks’

While there’s a lot that you can do to boost the temperature in your home at this time of year – or at least, your own perception of heat – if you’re on the lookout for sustained improvements in your heating bills, it may be the installation of a new boiler that serves you and your household especially well.

If you have any concerns about your existing central heating system and would appreciate frank and honest advice and assistance from a capable professional, don’t hesitate to contact our Harrow, Richmond or Putney plumbers now, on 0203 370 0066, or send us an email.

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