Energy saving tips

By JR | Blog

With energy prices now at an all-time high, you may well be wondering how you can save energy and cut your bills at home.

Our energy saving tips will help you use your heating, plumbing and electrics more efficiently, which should help to keep your bills down.

Energy saving tips for your heating

1. Turn the thermostat down a degree or two – turning your room thermostat down a degree or two will help you save energy while also keeping your home at a steady temperature. You probably won’t notice the difference and it could save you around £80 a year.

2. Only have your heating on when you need it – if you’re out during the day or the evening, don’t be tempted to keep your heating on low, as this isn’t actually very efficient. It’s better to turn the heating on only when you need it.

3. Only heat the rooms you’re using – if you’re not using your spare bedroom or other rooms for any period, turn the radiator valves down, so you’re not wasting energy by heating the rooms you’re not in.

4. Use a timer or smart control – if you have a heating timer or a smart control, you can set your heating to come on just before you get home, so it’s warm by the time you’re there.

5. Don’t block radiators or vents – while it might be tempting to put your sofa in front of the radiator, it won’t help to keep the rest of the room warm. Keep your radiators or heating vents clear to allow the heat to radiate around the room.

6. Don’t dry your wet laundry on the radiator – that will simply dry the clothes and create steam, which can cause other problems like damp or mould. If you can’t dry laundry outside, a heated airer is more efficient and inexpensive. A tumble dryer uses a lot of energy, so use it sparingly when you want to save money.

7. Keep your internal doors closed – this is an easy way to ensure the heat stays in the room you’re in. Close doors in rooms you don’t want to heat. This stops cooler air mixing and cooling the overall temperature down.

8. Close your windows – don’t let heat escape through an open window! While you might want to ventilate a room, try to do that at a different time of day. When you’re not using the room or needing it to be warm is ideal.

9. Draw curtains and blinds – curtains and blinds are especially helpful for keeping the heat in (or out in the summer!). Draw them as soon as light starts to fade, to keep the room warm and prevent drafts.

10. Bleed your radiators – your boiler will need to work harder if trapped air or sludge gets in the radiators. This makes your energy bills more expensive as well as not heating your room! Regular radiator bleeding helps to keep your heating system clear. It prevents damage as well as reducing your energy bills.

11. Turn down the temperature on your boiler – did you know you can turn down the temperature your hot water is heated to? Turning your hot water down a degree or two will help cut your fuel bills. And you won’t really notice the difference in your bath or shower. Simply adjust your boiler controls to alter the temperature. The water temperature will normally be set at 65 degrees, but you can turn it down to 60 degrees.

12. Add thermostats to every radiator – with a thermostatic radiator valve on each radiator, you can personalise the temperature in every room. Keep the thermostats turned up in rooms you use more frequently but turn them down in rooms you don’t.

13. Get a smart control – these help you monitor your energy usage and mean you can control your heating from your phone. Ideal if you don’t come home at the same time every day or are out at different times. Over time, they can also detect patterns in your usage. They will advise on ways you can cut down or adapt your energy usage.

14. Keep your boiler maintained – of course, keeping your boiler in tip-top condition is the best way to make sure you have energy efficient heating for your home when you need it. Be sure to contact us to get your annual heating service booked in.

 

Energy saving tips for your electricity

1. Switch off appliances you’re not using – it can be easy to leave some appliances such as cooking appliances, televisions and games consoles on when you aren’t using them. This applies to laptops and computers too. Turn them all off at the wall to save energy.

2. Don’t leave things on standby – you might think your TV is turned off, but if the switch on the wall is still turned on, your set is on standby and still using some electricity!

3. Don’t leave USB cables plugged in – do you have USB sockets directly in your wall? If so, don’t leave the cables plugged in as this uses electricity. If you charge devices via a USB attached to a plug, make sure you turn that off when not using it.

4. Switch off lights when you’re not using them – leaving them on for the next person or because you will go back in the room later is probably costing more than you think. Remember to switch them off when you leave the room. Replace your bulbs with LED bulbs too, as these are more energy efficient.

5. Reduce washing machine usage – if you can do one less wash a week, ensure your machine is full with each load. Use an eco-setting if you have one. And turn the temperature down to 30 degrees (most detergents cope with this, except for heavily stained items). BUT do occasionally do a hot wash to get rid of bacteria and prevent odours from building up.

6. Dry clothes outside or on an airer – drying your clothes outside when the sun is out means you won’t have to pay to dry them. Likewise a heated airer will provide you with a more efficient way of drying them in the colder months. It may be tempting to put clothes on or in front of your radiators to dry. But blocking the radiator will result in the rest of the room being cold (see above).

7. Only boil as much water as you need – we have all filled the kettle or saucepan up with more water than we need just to make sure we have enough. But boiling too much means you’ll use more electricity as well as waste water.

8. Use the microwave for heating / reheating food – it’s more energy efficient than the oven. A slow cooker is also a very energy efficient cooking appliance.

 

 

Energy saving tips for your water

1. Don’t leave the taps running – when cleaning your teeth or washing up, remember to turn the taps off when you aren’t using the water. The same can be said for the shower or bath taps as well.

2. Only use your dishwasher when it’s full – by only using your dishwasher when it’s full, you will cut down on the number of cycles it does a week, helping you to save water.

3. Use eco-mode on your appliances – if your dishwasher or washing machine have eco-mode settings, use these to help save on water and energy.

4. Shower rather than bath – showering uses less water than having a bath. Keep your showers shorter to minimise energy usage. If you have a high-pressure shower or use a shower pump, try turning the pressure down to save water too.

5. Fix dripping taps and leaks – not only is a dripping tap frustrating, it also wastes a lot of water. The same can be said for a leak. It can cause damage to your home over time as well as costing you more in bills.

 

And finally…

Why not consider one of our heating service plans? Our service plans will help you maintain your heating system in good order. They’ll also help spread the cost of your annual service and any repairs.

We offer three levels of cover to suit your needs:

Basic Plan – ideal if your boiler is still under warranty

Standard Plan – covers for your annual service and labour costs

Advanced Plan – includes your annual service, labour and parts.

We can also assist you in specific add-ons for your household electrics and gas fires, as well as landlord options. See our Service Plans page to find out more.

Do you have any of your own energy saving tips that you’d like to share with us?

Contact us on info@stevensonheating.co.uk or request a callback to find out more or get a quote for improving the energy efficiency of your heating in your home.

Working from home heating tips

By JR | Blog

With the winter months ahead, rising energy costs and many of us starting to work from home again, you might be worried your heating bills will go up. But there are ways to maximise your heating, keep warm and keep energy costs down. Read on for our top tips.

 

1. Keep your heating at a steady temperature

Adjust your thermostat down by one or two degrees to keep the temperature regulated. This is more efficient for keeping you warm and could reduced your energy bills by around £80 a year.

If you are out at any point, use the thermostat and timer to heat your home when it’s needed. Don’t keep it constantly very low, as this is not actually very efficient.

 

2. Add thermostats to every radiator

With a thermostatic radiator valve on each radiator, you can personalise the temperature in every room. Keep the thermostats turned up in rooms you use more frequently but turn them down in rooms you don’t.

The thermostats adjust the flow of water to your radiators, according to the temperature in the room. So, they ensure you’re not using more water or heat than needed.

 

3. Close internal doors

Keep heat in the rooms you want to stay warm by shutting the door. Similarly, close doors in rooms you don’t want to heat, to stop cooler air mixing and cooling the overall temperature down.

 

4. Use curtains and blinds

If you have curtains or blinds, use them. Curtains are especially helpful for keeping the heat in (or out in the summer!). As it’s getting darker much earlier, draw the curtains as soon as light starts to fade, to keep the room warm and prevent drafts.

 

5. Bleed your radiators

If you bleed your radiators regularly, it will help prevent cold spots developing. Your boiler will need to work harder if trapped air or sludge gets in the radiators, producing the cold spots. This makes your energy bills more expensive as well as not heating your room!

Regular radiator bleeding helps to keep your heating system clear, preventing damage as well as reducing your energy bills.

 

6. Keep vents and radiators clear

Don’t block your radiators or heating vents with furniture or laundry. The heat will go to them instead of your room! Move furniture away from radiators to allow the warm air to circulate and dry your wet laundry elsewhere.

If you don’t have a tumble dryer, a heated airer is efficient and inexpensive to run. This also prevents damp and mould building up, which can cause you other problems in your home.

 

7. Claim working-from-home tax relief

If you’re having to work from home because of Covid-19 or other reasons, you may be able to get £6 a week tax relief, which can help towards your energy bills. See the Government’s website for info on eligibility and how to claim.

 

8. Keep your boiler maintained

Of course, keeping your boiler in tip-top condition is the best way to make sure you have energy efficient heating for your home when you need it. Be sure to contact us to get your annual heating service booked in.

Why not consider one of our heating service plans? Our service plans will help you maintain your heating system and spread the cost of your annual service and any repairs.

We offer three levels of cover to suit your needs:

Basic Plan – ideal if your boiler is still under warranty

Standard Plan – covers for your annual service and labour costs

Advanced Plan – includes your annual service, labour and parts.

We can also assist you in specific add-ons for your household electrics and gas fires, as well as landlord options.

See our Service Plans page to find out more.

At Stevenson Heating, we are Gas Safe Registered heating installers. Contact us on info@stevensonheating.co.uk or request a callback to find out more or get a quote for improving your heating in your home.

Eco Deal to save on energy efficient products

By JR | Blog

Save Money With Our Eco Deal This Spring

We’ve just launched our Eco Deal spring offer to help you save money while becoming more energy efficient with your heating system.

Do you feel like you’re wasting money on your heating because it’s not efficient? And are your bills bigger than you’d like them to be, especially during the winter months when you need your heating most? Well, switching to newer, energy efficient models can actually save you money.

And this doesn’t just have to be for your boiler. Sometimes simply switching to Smart Controls, adding new thermostatic radiator valves to your radiators, or having a system power flush can improve your heating’s efficiency.

That’s why we’ve launched our Eco Deal for this spring, which gives you 10% off upgrades to a number of energy efficient products.

 

Eligible energy efficient products

Products included in our 10% offer are:

✅ A-rated high efficiency boilers
✅ New radiators
✅ SMART heating controls
✅ New thermostatic radiator valves
✅ New ‘modulated’ heating pumps
✅ A system power flush

So, don’t miss out! Take up our offer by contacting us before 31st March 2021 to book in your upgrade. Quote ECODEAL2021 when you contact us.

Call us on 020 8462 8822, request a callback or email us now to start benefitting.

Summer offers: upgrade your heating and save

By JR | Blog

Save on new radiators and boilers with our summer offers

We’re delighted to bring you not one but two summer offers for improving your heating! Summer is the ideal time to upgrade your heating system, as you’re not relying on it for warmth.

So if you’ve been thinking about having a new boiler and/or radiators, why not take advantage of our these big savings, which include:

✔️ £500 off a new boiler installation
✔️ 30% off new radiators

The offers are valid either together or separately and a quote must be accepted by 30 September 2020. Other terms and conditions apply, so please contact us for details.

We’ll have more offers coming soon too. Watch this space!

 

Why should I upgrade now?

Most people wait until something goes wrong with their boiler or radiators before choosing to upgrade. We understand that it can be costly but have you thought about how much money you might be wasting with inefficient boilers or radiators?

Most boilers over 10 years old waste a lot of valuable energy. The modern condensing boilers that we install improve efficiency to over 90%, which will save you lots of money each year on your heating bills.

The same can be said of old radiators if they’re not working properly. Over time, they will become less efficient, as sludge builds up. So they won’t heat your rooms properly. We recommend having a regular power flush to help prevent this. New radiators will also be more efficient and save you money in the long-run.

Call us on 020 8462 8822, request a callback or email us for a quote using ref: SUMMER2020 to take advantage of our summer offers.

Spring Heating Tips

By JR | Blog

Spring is well on its way. That means lighter nights, blossom on the trees and warmer temperatures. But what does this mean for your heating? Before you turn it off, read our tips on how to look after it during warmer months.

 

1. Don’t turn your heating off completely in spring

While you may be tempted to turn your heating off completely in spring, some valves may stick if they’re not used. And you won’t know there’s a problem until you switch it back on when you really need it later in the year.

Be sure to run your heating at least once a week during the warmer months. Just a few minutes will do, first thing in the morning.

 

2. Keep radiator values open

During warmer months, while your heating is off, keep all your radiator valves open and turn up the thermostats (if you have them on your radiators) to maximum. This will stop them sticking when you are using your heating fully in the autumn and winter.

 

3. Have your heating serviced in summer

An annual service is the best way to ensure your heating system remains in tip-top condition. But don’t be tempted to wait until the start of the winter before having yours serviced.

A service in June or July is the ideal time to rectify any problems that have occurred during warmer months and means your heating will be working properly when you really need it.

 

4. Turn down your hot water to save energy

Did you know you can turn down the temperature your hot water is heated to? You might want a piping hot shower or bath in the winter, but during spring and summer, turning your hot water down a degree or two will help cut your fuel bills. And because it’s warmer, you won’t really notice the difference in your bath or shower.

Simply adjust your boiler controls to alter the temperature. The water temperature will normally be set at 65 degrees but you can turn it down to 60 degrees in warmer months.

 

5. Protect your family with a carbon monoxide alarm

Carbon monoxide is the silent killer. You can’t see it or smell it. We recommend you have a carbon monoxide alarm fitted in each room where you have a gas appliance.

We can fit them for you easily and relatively cheaply – the best way to protect your family!

Why not take advantage of our boiler and radiator offers this spring?

For help with your heating installations, repairs or servicing, contact us on 020 8462 8822 or request a call back.

Improve Your Radiators’ Efficiency

By JR | Blog

Does it take a long time for your radiators to warm up?

Is your home as warm as you would like it to be? Our tips will help keep your radiators in tip-top condition and make them more energy efficient.

 

1. Have your radiators checked

Thermal imaging technology can provide you with photographic evidence of how well your radiators are working.

The first radiator is not working efficiently, only heating to 37.5C. The second radiator is working properly after being cleaned, giving a more even and warmer heat of 66.7C.

 

 

We can arrange for thermal imaging cameras to check your radiators for you. Contact us to arrange a visit.

 

2. Get your heating system powerflushed

Over time, sludge builds up in your heating system, causing your radiators not to work as efficiently. You may also experience cold spots in them.

A powerflush will clean your system through and get rid of the sludge and debris that has built up, helping to improve performance.

 

3. Consider getting new radiators

How old are your radiators? Have you had your boiler replaced but kept the same radiators? Like other appliances, your radiators deteriorate over time, so consider having them replaced.

Newer models work more efficiently, meaning they will be even better than your originals. Modern designs can also add aesthetically to your room. The radiators we supply come in a range of colours. With 180 different colours to choose from, there’ll be one to match your colour scheme!

 

4. Have thermostatic radiator valves (TRV) fitted

TRVs help you to control the heat within each room, so you can keep your most frequently used rooms warmer and be more energy efficient.

 

Turn down the TRV in your spare bedroom, or other rooms you don’t use as often, and keep the door closed. This will use less energy and save you money.

Until the end of April, we are offering 30% off the cost of new radiators.

To get a quote, book an installation or thermal imaging check, or for other help with your radiators or heating system, give us a call on 020 8462 8822, request a call back or email us.

Save 30% on New Radiators!

By JR | Blog

Save Money on Radiator Installations this Spring

If you’ve never had your radiators replaced, now is the time to have them done. Older radiators work less efficiently, gather a build up of sludge and, ultimately, cost you more money on your heating bills.

Until the end of April, we’re offering 30%* off the cost of new radiators. Simply request a quote and accept it before 30th April 2019 to be eligible for the offer.

So don’t miss out! If you’ve been thinking of having a new radiator fitted, get a quote and save money now! Call us on 020 8462 8822, request a call back or email us.

Read our radiator blog here for our tips on how to keep yours in tip-top condition.

*30% discount is applied to the cost of radiators before VAT. Offer excludes designer radiators and existing quotations.