One of the key considerations when buying a new home is to appreciate how much it will cost to keep it running. While many of us would love to live in a castle, who’d want the heating bill?
All homes cost money to maintain and keep in good order on top of their purchase costs. Over these winter months now, many new owners of homes will be curious to better understand how much it will cost to keep it running adequately.
As an experienced real estate agent, I am acutely aware of the rising power bills that we all face. It’s important that owners do everything we can to insulate our homes properly to prevent heat escaping and keep us cosy.
You should always check the quality of your insulation in the roof, and fill any cracks and gaps in walls and around windows and skirting boards that will let in cold air.
There are also some common beliefs about heating your home that are actually not true. I’ve made a list of the biggest ones in the hope it will save you energy and money this winter.
- Fireplace myth – Sadly the traditional fireplace, while wonderfully romantic, is inefficient. The heat loss via the chimney is significant, which means you burn lumber at an uneconomic rate. A combustion fire, or heat box, is a smarter play.
- Turn off – Nothing saves you money like turning off your heating system. It’s fine to let it run at a constant temperature, but that’s not the most economic strategy. If you’re out for prolonged periods, it’s better to turn the heating off and warm your home on your return.
- Hot flush – When we enter a cold house, the immediate reaction is to turn the thermostat way up high in the belief it will warm the home faster. It doesn’t. If you want a comfortable 76f, don’t waste your time going for a tropical 95f. You won’t get to your comfort zone any faster.
- Fuel efficiency – By all means flick on a space heater to warm up faster, but don’t kid yourself that it’s more efficient than your furnace. If you’ve got cold spots in the home, invest in improving the outlets for your gas furnace rather than make do with an electric space heater.
- Thanks, fans – Did you think ceiling fans were just for summer? No. If you climb a ladder and look at the stem of your fans, you’ll find a summer and winter setting. The winter one will reverse the rotation and push hot air back down towards you, ensuring you get all the warmth available and it doesn’t sit up on the ceiling.