Reduce your energy bills with zone heating
You can’t run from the elephant in the room. So let’s talk about it.
As you probably know, electricity and gas prices will skyrocket this winter for several reasons. It’s not our place to talk about those reasons, but it is our place to come to you with solutions and new perspectives regarding heating.
With the cold season arriving, you need to think of what solutions you have in order to reduce the amount of energy you’re consuming in your home. You have to be smart about it, especially this winter, as every state leader and industry expert says that we’ll inevitably have to reduce the average temperature in your home. It may sound chilly, but there are workarounds.
One of them is zone heating. Let’s talk about it more.
What is zone heating?
Zone heating lets you control the temperature in your home from room to room. You can adjust each zone according to the amount of time you spend there, or how often you’re doing it.
It has a simple principle at the core: lower the temperature on your central heating thermostat and only heat up the rooms you are spending more time in.
The rooms in your house or apartment are usually different. Some of them receive more sunlight and heat, while others are better insulated or do not have so many exterior walls. All of these can influence the temperature you need in a specific room. With a thermostat, you can’t be that specific. But with zone heating, you can.
Why would you consider zone heating?
The first and most obvious reason to consider zone heating is: it saves you money in the long run. Even though most extra heating devices work with electricity, it’s still better than gas or wood. Think about it: you’re only heating rooms that you actually use while you stop heating the ones you don’t.
Let’s give a practical example: you only use the kitchen, bathroom, living room, and two bedrooms in your home. However, you are forced to turn the heat up in the whole house in order to be warm, even if you don’t need it everywhere. So let’s say that your thermostat is set to 19 degrees for the entire home in order to cut some expenses. In the kitchen where you cook or in the hallway where you’re only passing through, you won’t feel chilly. However, in your living room, where you go to relax and spend time with family, you might need some extra degrees. Having an electric fireplace there and plugging it in will make the difference. You can set it to 22 degrees and it will successfully heat up the living room while you’re there.
This means you’re still enjoying warmth and comfort in your home while saving money on gas bills.
Zone heating with electric heaters
Did you know that for each degree you reduce on the thermostat you end up saving up to 20 euros on your heating bill? However, you shouldn’t end up freezing in your own home.
One of the easiest ways to start zone heating is by using electric space heaters.
How does it work?
Well, first you need to put space heaters (like an electric fireplace), in the rooms you use the most. Turn them on, and then reduce the temperature on the thermostat in your home. Make sure you’re not losing any warmth with open windows or doors.
Why are electric fireplaces great for zone heating?
First of all, in the long run, they end up saving you money. You can use them to heat up only the parts of your home that you’re often spending time in, without wasting electricity or gas in spaces that are not essential.
For example, you can set up your electric fireplace to start 1 hour before you arrive home so that when you get there, the room is all ready.
Another reason is aesthetics. Electric fireplaces are beautiful and they can complete your home. You can find them in different colors, and sizes and you can actually see them as a decor project.
For example, you can buy a smaller electric fireplace for a small room, or if you’re looking for a splash of color, you can play with different nuances. Here is a great example:
Extra tips
Here are some other tips to help you save money with heating this winter:
- Make sure no cold air enters your home. Check all the windows. If you feel cold air coming from window seals, ask a contractor to come and fix it.
- Set your electric devices to start heating up only before you’re coming home.
- Keep it low: maintain a low-temperature setting for the central heating thermostat and play with zone heating as you please.
- Brace yourself with warm clothes, hot drinks, and fuzzy blankets. It may sound funny, but it makes you warm and it gets you cozy.