According to the Spanish Climate Change Office, pollutant emissions from heating and hot water use may account for up to 20% of total household emissions. In a one-hundred-square-metre house inhabited by four people, that would translate into about two tonnes per year of CO2 and other gases and particles. This tells us that, just like cars, we must also focus on boilers to reduce the pollution rate.
At Acideka Group we are aware that boiler misuse can lead to an increase in the emissions we emit and breathe. That is why we are going to tell you some of our tips on how to be more efficient when using it.
No Grupo Acideka estamos conscientes de que um mau uso da caldeira pode provocar um aumento das emissões que emitimos e respiramos. Por isso, vamos dizer-lhe quais os nossos truques para sermos mais eficientes na hora de a usar.
Is it possible to save money, take care of the planet and turn on the heating?
But how do we get our heating to pollute and waste less?
- Extract air from radiators: bleeding radiators at least once a year prevents small air bubbles from accumulating which can hinder heat circulation.
- Don’t cover radiators: this will prevent the heat from spreading and force you to turn up the thermostat.
- Control the temperature of your home: the more consistent it is the less energy and money you’ll have to spend. But, is it better to leave the heating on all day even if it’s at a reasonable temperature? Having the heating on all day leads to unnecessary energy consumption which is not comparable to the small extra effort that the system has to make when it starts up after having been switched off. Ideally, keep the household temperature between 19 and 21 degrees during the day and around 16 degrees at night. This reduces our carbon footprint and gets us a saving of 13%.
- Switch off radiators in empty rooms: if nobody is going to enjoy that heat, why waste the energy? Close the doors so that the rest of the house’s heat is not lost in these places.
- Put reflecting panels behind radiators: this way the heat will not build up in the wall and instead will spread around the room with greater ease, ensuring that the space will warm up faster. It’s not one of the most aesthetically pleasing solutions, but it is a good way of saving between 10% and 20% on heating costs.
- Replace your boiler for a low consumption model: it’s an upfront investment, but over time you’ll see that your bills will fall considerably.
- Insulate doors and windows: you should know that heat tends to expand into cooler spaces. Putting up curtains or lowering blinds, using carpets or mats in the gap between the door and the floor is a recommended course of action. In the case of windows, if they are double glazed, energy loss can be reduced by up to 50%.
- Dress yourself and your home for winter: use duvets and thicker temperature regulating bedding so that heat doesn’t escape but still allows your skin to breathe, and wear pyjamas and warm clothes around the house: there’s no need to wear a coat but you don’t need to walk around in just a strappy vest either.
As you’ve seen, just a few tricks can maximise the heat generated by your boiler. By putting these measures into practice you’ll be able to save between 10 and 40% on your gas bills and you’ll also be reducing your carbon footprint and helping to improve the health of the planet. These are some of the tricks we use in our offices and production plants at Acideka Group. So, have you given them a go yet?
