7 free home improvements that save money on your heating bill
With energy prices increasing and Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning systems (HVAC) accounting for up to 20% of the world’s energy consumption even small changes in your heating and cooling system can contribute to lowering your energy costs. As indoor climate experts here at IMI Hydronic we would like to share some tips on how to save energy while enhancing your indoor comfort:
Tip 1: Balance your thermostats
Make sure indoor thermostats or radiator heads in the same room are set to the same value. If one has a setting of 5 while the other at 3, inefficiencies will arise in terms of performance and costs.
Tip 2: Change the temperature slowly
If you are cold it is tempting to jack up your thermostat to the highest setting, but all this will do is guzzle up energy. It takes time for the heating system to adapt. So, if you turn it up all the way in one go, you might be comfortable in 30 minutes, but by the next day, you will be too hot and tempted to open a window to relieve the stuffy room. To avoid this, we suggest you change temperatures gradually to find your sweet spot, with the additional benefit of being more energy-efficient.
Tip 3: Careful opening windows
Opening a window can also be counterproductive not only in terms of costs but also in terms of heat equilibrium. When opening a window to get fresh air or to reduce the temperature of a room, you are also sending your system into overdrive. Radiators are usually placed underneath widows and the sensor inside the radiator head will notice a decrease in temperature and will try to get that indoor temperature back to its optimal setting. Nothing wrong with some fresh air but be mindful of the heat loss and its effects on your system.
Tip 4: Free your radiators
Do a tour of your house to identify any radiators that are being obstructed by things such as a pile of toys or some ignored laundry. While they might seem minor, these types of obstructions have a crucial impact on the dissipation of heat. Even if they are in different rooms, they add additional resistance that is unnecessary and contribute to your discomfort and energy inefficiency.
Tip 5: Exchange your old thermostatic head
This tip might not be a completely free improvement but for sure it is worth investment!
Did you know that replacing old thermostatic radiator heads with modern ones can also generate energy savings of up to 7%?
The world-renowned German engineering that goes into every IMI Heimeier product guarantees long-term durability and performance. Our robust quality control procedures include leakage and resilience testing to ensure our products are 100% functional and reliable.
Our IMI Heimeier Thermostatic Head K comes with effective and incredibly convenient energy-saving clips:
- The blue energy-saving clip limits the lower temperature setting, e.g. the night setting.
- The red energy-saving clip restricts the upper-temperature range and prevents any extremely high temperatures from being accidentally set.
This is also extremely practical when airing rooms!If you pull back the blue clip, the thermostat head can be set to 0 without forgetting the otherwise preferred temperature range.
Tip 6: Protected windows save your heat
We often tend to focus on creating more heat than saving the one we already have. Windows are the biggest source of heat loss in a building, by adding for example a rolled towel to the edge of a less-isolated window you can optimize your heat preservation and increase your comfort and productivity.
Tip 7: Set the ambiance
Never underestimate the power of the mind when it comes to your comfort. By setting the right ambiance with a candle, a cozy pillow on your chair or even a fluffy rug under your feet you can help give your body the illusion that it is warmer than it is.
Learn more about our thermostatic heads
6 energy insights that can make your home more energy efficient
Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (‘HVAC’) systems sit at the heart of every renovation project. At IMI Hydronic, renowned for its engineering expertise combined with hydronic knowledge and experience, we have identified key energy insights that could create energy savings to be made in nearly every HVAC system.
Achieve hydronic balancing with AFC Technology
Reliable hydronic balancing with Eclipse and Dynacon Eclipse can be as easy as: Fit, Set and Forget!