The amount of heating bills has the unfortunate tendency to make the hair stand on end. According to a study carried out on French households for the year 2015, each family would spend an average of 1,590 euros on energy, with an increase of 6.7% compared to 2014.
In addition, by reducing energy consumption, we limit greenhouse gas emissions, which are responsible for global warming and climate change. So to prevent these heating loads from exploding, here are some tips to optimize the temperature of your interior and save on your energy bills.
Check doors and windows
Cracks and any loose seals in your doors and windows are sources of drafts. These small imperfections lead to heat loss that will cost you dearly at the end of the month. To overcome this, it is imperative to check the insulation of your doors and windows to save heat. It is therefore advisable to opt for adhesive insulating joints to make them more watertight. You can also put fabric sausages in the corners or at the foot of your doors to guarantee optimal insulation.
Optimization of the efficiency of the heating system
For your heating system to be as efficient as possible, it is best not to put anything like furniture or the like in front of your radiators or other sources of heat. Indeed, cluttering the space around your heating systems blocks the heat and you will then tend to increase the heating. It’s simple, but effective. You can also add an insulating film to the back of your radiators so that they can send the heat directly into the room, avoiding the walls.
Reduce the volume to be heated
It is not necessarily essential to heat the whole house. To save energy, favor living spaces such as the living room, the living room or the kitchen where you spend more time. Cold rooms like the hallway, hallways or pantry can be at a lower temperature. For the bedrooms, it is advisable not to heat excessively: the ADEME recommends 17°C but if you have a baby, it is necessary to keep 19°C in his bedroom. If certain rooms in your house are not used, only heat them to protect them from freezing.
Schedule your heating
Some heating systems are programmable. If this is the case, you can adapt your heating programs to your working hours. If you are absent all day, it is useless to leave the heating at its usual level, bring it back to 15°C. You can program a drop in temperature when you leave home and a rise sometime before you return. Thus, you will be able to save a good part of your heating.
The right heating temperature
To effectively reduce your heating bills, the ideal temperature is 19°C in the living rooms, 17°C in the bedrooms and occasionally 21°C in the bathroom. You don’t have to be able to walk around in shorts and a tank top. Indeed, it is unreasonable from an ecological and especially economic point of view to force too much on the heating. If by chance you are still cold at this temperature, you can opt for a hot drink or a plaid. If you are away for a long time in winter, keep the temperature at 12°C to prevent the pipes from freezing.
Install thermometers
In the same vein, you should know that the feeling of heat or cold is very subjective. Each person perceives temperature changes differently. To avoid the temptation to raise the temperature because of a simple impression, equip yourself with thermometers. You can place them in all heated rooms, 1.5 m from the floor, on a partition (not against an outside wall) and away from a heat source.
Open doors at the right time
In the event that you use a heating system with a chimney, especially for two-storey houses, it is advisable to open the interior doors. This trick allows you to raise the heat and heat the floor, with less use of radiators. You can thus avoid the additional costs represented by the latter. However, this advice is not valid if you only use a radiator. In this case, it is recommended on the contrary to close the doors of your house so that the heat released by the radiator does not scatter.
Maintenance of your heating equipment
Essential tip, it is indeed essential to properly maintain your heating systems. To do this, you should bleed and clean your radiators at least once every year. This maintenance will allow your devices to operate normally and thus not generate additional energy consumption. If you use a boiler, annual maintenance by a specialist is mandatory. According to studies, a poorly maintained boiler leads to a 10% increase in energy. Regarding electric heaters, it is important to dust them so as not to obstruct the distribution of heat. As for the chimneys, they must be swept every year, and moreover it is an obligation included in the insurance contracts.
Insulate your home
Improving the energy efficiency of your home will allow you to save on your energy bills while living in a more comfortable environment, not to mention that it will increase the heritage value of your property. There are various financial aids to carry out energy renovation work in your home (insulation of the roof, walls, replacement of windows, change of your heating system, etc.).
Invest in new equipment
The performance of some heaters sometimes leaves something to be desired. This is why it is better to invest in more recent and therefore more efficient installations. Of course, the choice of a new system depends on your budget, but also on the size of your house and your geographical location. Other factors may also come into play. Thus, on the occasion of a renovation or a simple change of heating, you can redo your insulation and opt for a heat pump or installations using renewable energies (solar , wood…). Although quite substantial at the start, this kind of investment will allow you in the future to save energy effectively, and at the same time reduce your bills.