Stay warm without breaking the bank

HEATING: Oil filled and electric radiators can be more effective than heating a whole house CREDIT: Shutterstock

THE change in season is apparent all around us, from the leaves on the trees turning colour and falling to the ground to a drop in temperatures and dark mornings and nights.
But there are ways to battle the dreariness and keep your home warm and costs down.
This is the season in which it’s vital to ensure your heating system is working effectively, the last thing you want or need is a boiler breakdown as winter sets in.
It’s not a legal requirement but it makes good sense to have your boiler serviced once a year.
The weather is still quite mild, and if you and your partner or family tends to only use one main room in the house, it makes more sense to use spot instead of central heating.
There are plenty of options available, from electric or oil filled radiators, to fan or convector heaters and portable gas heaters. The latter offers spot heating from around €1 an evening. It will heat a space up quickly and comes with variable heat settings, so you can turn the heat up or down as required.
The smallest changes within the home can help retain the heat and minimise energy usage. Shut interior doors, as cold air can creep in through the smallest of holes, which can increase heat loss by up to eight per cent. Old fashioned snake draught excluders work and if colour coordinated, can look stylish and add colour.
If you don’t already have heating controls installed, considering adding a programmable thermostat to your heating system for better control over energy usage. And if you do have controls, look into some of the new smart heating systems available, which allow you to remotely control the temperature in every room of your home. By turning off heat in rooms you’re not using you can reduce energy costs significantly.

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Written by

Tara Rippin

Tara Rippin is a reporter for Spain’s largest English-speaking newspaper, Euro Weekly News, and is responsible for the Costa Blanca region.
She has been in journalism for more than 20 years, having worked for local newspapers in the Midlands, UK, before relocating to Spain in 1990.
Since arriving, the mother-of-one has made her home on the Costa Blanca, while spending 18 months at the EWN head office in Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol.
She loves being part of a community that has a wonderful expat and Spanish mix, and strives to bring the latest and most relevant news to EWN’s loyal and valued readers.

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