Households across the country are being encouraged to take steps to ensure they keep warm and reduce their fuel bills this winter as part of Big Energy Saving Week (31 October – 5 November).
OFTEC, the UK trade body for oil heating, has issued the following advice to households in support of the nationwide campaign helping households reduce their energy consumption and save money.
Despite recent small increases in price, oil heated households continue to enjoy cheaper fuel bills than all the main heating systems and are paying around half the cost of homes using LPG or electric storage heaters.
However, in the run up to winter, there are still ways households can reduce their heating costs even further without having to resort to turning down the heating.
OFTEC’s advice includes:
- Upgrade your heating controls. Many homes have a simple thermostat which sets one temperature for the whole house. Installing a more advanced system will enable you to set different temperatures for each room throughout the day, saving money by only heating the rooms you use.
- Have your boiler serviced by an OFTEC technician. This will ensure it is working efficiently and help you avoid potential costly breakdowns over winter.
- Purchase your heating oil early. Avoid the last-minute rush and top up your tank now. Remember to shop around for the best price and consider joining an oil buying group with neighbours to make even further savings.
- Bleed your radiators. This will help to increase their efficiency during cold weather.
- Upgrade to a condensing boiler. Two out of three households still rely on an old, less efficient boiler. Purchasing a modern boiler can reduce your fuel bills by over 20%.
Malcolm Farrow, from OFTEC, commented: “Households who use heating oil to keep warm have been making huge savings on their fuel bills over the past year due to the low price of oil. Despite a recent small increase, this trend is expected to continue into next year making it a fantastic time to be on oil.
“However, many households, particularly in more rural areas, live in older homes which are often less energy efficient. As part of this year’s Big Energy Saving Week, we are offering this advice to help consumers enjoy further savings on their heating bills this winter.”
For more information and advice, visit the Oilsave website.
