Heating - half the winter bill

Action areas:

1. It's winter.  We should have a jumper on. And maybe even the moccasins. Changing behaviour can make a 30% difference to the heating bill.

2. Seal drafts - The average home has gaps in the walls/floors/roof that add up to the equivalent of a one metre window being open constantly.

3. Use the low winter sun - ever sat behind glass in the winter sun reading a book? It is magic. Combine that sun with thermal mass (stone, concrete, etc) and you have a free heating system. Thermal mass stores heat during the day and releases it at night.

4. Contain the heat to the spaces you are using. Heating unused spaces is a huge money and climate waster. 

5. Once the thermostat passes 19 degrees, we add ten percent to the heating bill for each further degree of heat.

6. Insulation pays for itself in none months - check out our insulation pages under house/materials.

7. Gas heating is better than electric heating both for the hip pocket and the climate.

8. Ceiling fans need to be switched to the winter setting, so that they are circulating the hot air from the ceiling around the room.