It’s been said many times before, but it’s a reality we face; energy prices continue to fluctuate in the UK. Many households are looking for the cheapest way heat your home with giving up any comfort.
Whether you rent a flat or own a house, there are smart, cost-friendly ways to slash heating bills – and many of them don’t require a massive overhaul.
This guide will walk you through ten practical strategies to reduce your heating costs, covering everything from insulation to heating system choices.
Understanding Your Heating Options
Electric vs Gas Heating Cost
In the UK, gas heating is generally cheaper per unit than electricity, 6.33 per kWh according to Ofgem’s recent price cap announcement. However, electric heaters tend to be 100% efficient at point of use, while gas boilers operate at up to 90% efficiency.
Top Tip: If using electric heating, consider a switch to a ‘time-of-use tariff, such as ‘Economy 7’ to run heaters during off-peak hours to create better savings. You can learn more about this at Citizens Advice.
Economical Heating Systems in the UK
- Gas Central Heating: Mainly cheaper for larger homes
- Air Source Heat Pumps: Upfront costs can be expensive, however they are widely available thanks to government-backed grants and The Clean Heat Market Mechanism
- Infrared Heaters: These are efficient for spot-heating areas of the home.
Insulating Your Home Effectively
The Importance of Proper Insulation
Heat will always escape without the correct insulation in your home. Up to 25% of heat is lost through roofs, and 35% through walls in uninsulated homes.
How to Insulate Windows and Doors for One of the Cheapest Ways to Heat Your Home
- Fit draught-proofing strips around frames. Find them at Screwfix.
- Use thermal curtains and window film kits. A wide range is available at Dunelm.
- Install door brushes or excluders on external doors.
These low-cost tips are usually one of the cheapest ways of heating a home efficiently.
Making Use of Space Heaters
What are the Cheapest Ways to Heat a Room in your Home?
When your central heating is not needed to heat the whole home, turning off radiators in unused rooms and using a space heater where needed can be a cost-effective way of heating a room.
The Best Types of Space Heaters
- Oil-filled Radiators: These are ideal for sustained, background heat.
- Infrared Panel Heaters: Cost effective and are quick at warming people directly.
- Ceramic Fan Heaters: Perfect for fast, short bursts of heat.
Remember: Choose heaters with thermostats and timers to stop any unnecessary energy waste. Which? Shared their top 10 electric heaters click here to find out more.
Exploring Renewable Energy Sources
Benefits of Air Source Heat Pumps
Heat pumps take heat from the air outside and turn it into heat for the home. Deep dive into heat pumps here:
They are highly efficient and have a much longer life span compared to natural gas heating sources. They also have cooling options – perfect for summer!
Energy Advice Helpline are dedicated to helping those who deserve the help, get it. Click below to see how you could be eligible for government-backed grants that could see you get a heat pump for free:
Solar Heating Solutions
Solar PV panels paired with battery storage, electric heaters, and heat pumps can dramatically reduce heating bills over time.
Interested in Solar Panels? Energy Advice Helpline can help with that:
Heating Individual Rooms is One of the Cheapest Ways to Heat Your Home
The Cheapest Way to Heat a Room Without Central Heating
If your home is without central heating, combine the following together:
- Thermal curtains
- Portable heaters and thermostats
- Draught excluders on doors (in rooms used)
Cost-Friendly Heating Alternatives
- Electric blankets or heated throws: placed under your bed sheet or cover yourself up whilst on the couch for individual heating.
- Under-rug heaters: perfect for cold floors.
- Micathermic heaters: provides both convection and radiant heat.
Addressing Heating Efficiency
Managing Thermostats
Lowering our thermostats by only 1*C can save up to £80 a year as less energy is required to heat your home to higher temperatures. If all the homes in the UK did it, estimations say we could save £1.4 billion a year.
Using Programmable Thermostats
Smart thermostats such as Hive or Tado give you the opportunity to set heating zones and schedules in your home. This is great for reducing any wasted energy and ideal for when you are away from your home.
Learn more about these thermostats here:
Hive
Tado
Lowering Energy Bills
Understanding Energy Providers
It’s a good practice to always be on the lookout for new energy providers and comparing them to your current one. Make use of sites like Uswitch or MoneySavingExpert to find the cheapest tariffs that suit you.
The Role of Time-of-Use Tariffs
These tariffs charge less for energy that is being used during nighttime. Running heaters during off-peak hours with storage heaters or well-timed electric radiators can cut down energy bill costs significantly.
The Best and Cheapest Way to Heat Your Home
Comparing Different Heating Systems
- Gas boilers: Low running cost (if new), high installation cost, but quite inefficient.
- Heat pumps: Eco-friendly, best for long term savings. Very reliable.
- Electric panel heaters: Use off-peak electricity, ideal for night usage with Time-of-Use tariffs.
- Electric panel heaters: Easy installation but expensive.
Factors to Consider for Efficiency
- The size of your home: larger homes will require more energy to heat.
- Insulation quality: level of insulation will determine how much heat is kept and how much is lost.
- Budget for installation: money is always something to consider, but it’s also important to not forget about the government grants available for free energy upgrades.
- Energy tariff type: You need to choose a tariff that suits you. Time-of-use tariffs can make electric heating options more viable.
Advanced and Creative Heating Hacks
DIY Thermal Mass
Try placing a large container of water or spare ceramic tiles near your radiator or heater. Why? They will absorb the heat and slowly release it for a cost-free way of stablising room temperature.
Zoning Your Home
Rooms that you don’t use? Close the doors. Insulated curtains in those rooms? Close them too. You can even add door draught blockers to improve efficiency.
For more DIY heating hacks, see Northern Works video below:
Your Personal Heating Action Plan for the Cheapest Ways to Heat Your Home
Step-by-Step to Smarter Heating
Are you ready to take on your heating bills head on? Try following this plan to take back control:
- Assess Your Heating Set Up: Find out what you’re currently using; gas, electric, or a renewable energy system. Check your energy bills and compart cost-per-kWh to understand what your current heating exspenses are.
- Improve Insulation First: Install draught-proofing around windows and doors, add loft insulation if you don’t have it already, and use thermal curtains to retain heat in the rooms you use most.
- Target Key Areas: Place portable heaters with thermostats in occupied rooms. You can use oil-filled radiators or infrared panels which will help to avoid heating unused areas.
- Compare Energy Tariffs: Use comparison tools like Uswitch and MoneySavingExpert to find the best fixed or variable rate plans that suit you and your family. If you mostly use electricity at night, Economy 7 might be ideal for you.
- Upgrade Strategically: Evaluate whether a heat pump, storage heater, or smart thermostat could bring down your long-term costs. You can look into government grants such as the Boiler Upgrade Scheme or ECO4 for funding.
- Incorporate Heating Hacks : Add reflectors to radiators to push warmth into rooms, use DIY thermal mass like water bottles to stablise heat, and zone off unused spaces with heavy curtains or draft blockers.
Finding the Cheapest Ways to Heat Your Home with Energy Advice Helpline
Visit Energy Advice Helpline for more information on energy-efficient heating tailored to UK households. For information on government energy grants click the button below:
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