Energy giant with 7million customers warns households to make seven steps before turning on the heating to save £100s

A MAJOR energy firm has told households to “prepare now” ahead of turning on their heating this winter.

British Gas says most people will be turning their heating on by the end of this month – and if you’re one of them, there are some steps you should take now.

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The firm, which has roughly seven million customers, says there is usually a boiler switch on each year during the first September cold snap.

But the majority of people turn their heating on in late October or when there are four consecutive days of minimum temperatures below 9C, according to its customer data.

If, like most people, you haven’t used your heating over the summer then you could be in for a nasty shock if it turns out there’s an issue with your boiler.

British Gas says more than 1.2million customers called its engineers to fix broken boilers last winter.

But also your heating might just be working inefficiently, or you could be unknowingly losing heat from your home.

Sunny Solanky, a British Gas service and repair engineer, said: “Now that summer is behind us, many people will be thinking about turning their heating back on for the first time since last winter and that’s often when unwanted issues can appear.

“Keeping your boiler in good working order is key to making sure everything runs smoothly, and a few simple changes around the home can also make a real difference to your comfort and energy use.”

These are the seven tips British Gas has said can help you prepare now…

Bleed your radiators

Over time, air bubbles can accumulate within radiators and stop them from heating up as effectively as they should.

But bleeding your radiators can help remove the excess air and improve their efficiency.

That means your home will be better heated without you having to turn up the thermostat.

Experts say the quick and easy hack can reduce your energy bills by a huge 20%.

You should bleed your radiator especially if the top of it feels cooler than the bottom.

You can do this by using a radiator key, gently opening the valve at the top to let the air escape before closing it again.

Make sure windows and doors are properly sealed

Having a draughty home can also push up your heating bills.

You can seal windows and doors properly by using self-adhesive foam strips around frames.

You can get these for as little as £3.75 on Amazon.

Plus, you can use draught excluders for blocking gaps beneath doors.

Keyhole covers and letterbox brushes can also stop cool air from entering the house.

Stop heat from escaping

Once you’ve got your heating on, you don’t want that nice warm air to escape.

One thing you can do is ensure heavy furniture isn’t placed in front of radiators, as this can block the circulation of the warm air.

You can also get thicker curtains to block the air from escaping outside.

If you have hard floors, you can also lay a rug down.

Use ‘zonal heating’

If you spend most of your time in one room – if you work from home, for example – then it makes sense to heat just one room rather than your whole house or flat.

You could also do things like warming up the bedrooms in the morning but not using the radiators in the lounge until the evening.

If you have a guest bedroom, it could be worth turning off the heating entirely when it’s not in use.

Choosing to only heat certain rooms in your house is known as “zonal heating” and it can save you money.

Insulate your pipes

Not insulating your pipes properly can raise the risk of them bursting and landing you with a hefty bill.

Experts estimate a burst pipe could set you back up to a huge £17,000 and in the worst case end up damaging your whole home.

You’re more likely to experience burst pipes over the winter as the dip in temperature can freeze the water inside them, causing them to expand and split from the pressure.

If you want to avoid this, the first thing to do is buy lagging for your pipes – which essentially means adding insulation to the water pipes around your home.

You should start with the coldest parts of your home, usually the outside and the loft, as these are the areas where pipes are most likely to burst.

Lagging can be bought fairly cheaply from most DIY stores.

Choose the right temperature

Keeping your thermostat set to between 18C and 21C will ensure your heating is both comfortable and cost-effective.

If you can manage it, reducing the temperature by just one degree could reduce your heating costs by around 10%.

British Gas says this would save the average household roughly £75 a year.

Schedule your heating

By scheduling your heating, you can control exactly how much you’re using.

Plus, setting your heating on a timer rather than as-and-when means you’ll have a better idea of how much it’s costing you.

You could schedule your heating to switch on about 15 minutes before you get up and turn off half an hour before bedtime.