How Can I Efficiently Heat My Home This Winter?
With the rising energy prices and the cost of living increasing, many of us are thinking about smart ways to heat our homes more efficiently, read on to find out more.
How can I heat my home efficiently this winter?
It’s winter which means chilly mornings and even chiller nights. With the ongoing challenge of rising energy costs, more and more homeowners are choosing to install stoves as a long-term investment to keep costs down. If you have a wood burning, multi fuel, gas stove or electric fire, we advise a few ways in which you can ensure maximum efficiency this season.
Allow heat to spread
Central heating systems can be especially costly at this time of year, so with wood burning, multi fuel, gas stoves or electric fires, make the most of the heat by allowing it to travel further. Let the warm air spread by simply opening the doors of your living room or help this further with a heat powered stove fan. This will force airflow to neighbouring rooms in your house and share the heat without the need to turn the heating on.
Thinking about a wood burner?
Thinking about installing a wood burning stove this winter but not sure where to begin? Read our blog on what to know about getting a stove in your home to get you started.
Set a timer
Rather than leaving the heating on, which will result in a large heating bill, it is more cost effective to only heat your home when you really need it. For those with electric and gas stoves, most models come with adjustable heat settings and timers which can be operated at the touch of a button. Rather than getting home and waiting for the central heating to warm up, set a pre-programmed timer on your stove or fire to ensure your home is at optimal temperature during the most important parts of the day, such as waking up in the morning or arriving home from work.
Use the right fuel
Especially relevant for wood burning and multi-fuel stove owners, for them to function efficiently and provide the most heat output, it is important to ensure you are burning the right fuel. For wood burning stoves especially, ensure you are using seasoned, low-moisture wood. Look for the 'Ready To Burn' logo on wood log products whereever you purchase your wood fuel.
NEVER burn wet wood! That will lead to an increase in smoke emissions, and cause a sooty build-up in your flue. It's just a waste as you will have poor heat output as well.
Maintain the temperature
Once your fire is stoked, to make the most of the warmth, it’s important to maintain an efficient temperature to ensure heat longevity. While it may be tempting to keep adding more fuel, be careful. If your fire isn’t burning hot enough, the extra wood won’t catch fire. The same rule applies in reverse – if you add too much fuel at one time, it’ll mean you’ll burn through it faster and the heat will simply escape through the chimney rather than heating the room. Maintaining the heat will result in a much warmer room temperature, for longer. Always check your stove manual to see how much fuel is recommended.
Find out more
If you would like more technical advice about your installation needs, speak to your local Arada retailer. They can conduct a property survey and walk you through the optimal stove appliance, and any additional options such as prefabricated flues or direct air kits.
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1st January, 2024.
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