Stay warmer for less by insulating tanks, pipes, and radiators
Radiator reflective panels
Attach these panels to the rears of your radiators to reflect wasted heat back into the room, rather than letting it escape through the wall. You’ll only benefit from applying them to radiators on external walls - those that separate your house from outside.
Insulating a hot water tank
A simple and effective way to protect your hot water tank from heat loss is by wrapping it in an insulating jacket. Choose one that’s at least 80mm thick for best results. These cost around £20, which you’ll make back in no time, as they could save you up to £50 a year on your bills, according to the Energy Saving Trust.
Insulating your pipes
In the cold winter months, the pipes that carry water in and out of your house are at risk of freezing if the temperature drops below zero. If they crack or burst, it’ll be very expensive to replace them, and you’ll have to suffer through a period of no heating or hot water until they’re fixed.
Luckily, insulating your pipes is a simple step you can take to stop this from happening, and as long as you have easy access to the pipes, you can do it yourself. You can buy insulation in the form of foam tubes from a DIY shop. The thicker the better, as long as you make sure there’s enough room around the pipe, and that the hole in the tube is big enough for the pipe to fit through.
To install, simply measure the length of the pipe, cut the insulation to size, and wrap around the pipe. Where there’s a bend in the pipe, attach two pieces of insulation at an angle and seal with duct tape.
Don’t forget about the pipes in your basement or loft - even though they’re inside, they’re also in danger of freezing if those parts of your house aren’t heated or insulated. You can also opt to insulate any pipes you can see inside your home. This will stop the hot water they carry from losing heat, saving you about £6 a year.
Protecting your home against heat loss with insulation could be your first step to seeing big savings on your energy bills. Heatio can help you start making the changes that work for you - Join the waitlist for Heatio Flexx now.
