How to prepare your home heating for winter

As the weather turns colder and the days get shorter, our thoughts turn to wrapping up warm and reaching for the thermostat. So now is the time to check that your heating is ready for the colder months ahead.

E.ON

17/10/23

Seven ways to get your heating ready for winter

The summer sunshine has started to fade and the nights are drawing in, so it’s a clear sign that winter is on the way. With that comes the colder weather and turning on our heating to keep us warm and toasty at home.

Now is a great time to check that everything’s working as it should be so that when you do turn your heating on, you don’t run into any issues:

Check for potential issues by testing your heating
Bleed your radiators
Get your boiler serviced annually
Upgrade your heating to a sustainable heat pump
Set a timer for your heating to come on when you need it
Check your insulation levels and improve if needed
Wrap up your pipes to help prevent them from freezing

1. Test your heating

Your boiler plays a key role over winter, keeping your home and water warm so it’s really important to ensure it’s working as efficiently as possible. An efficient boiler is not only more reliable but it can also save you from wasting energy and money.

So, if you haven’t already, try turning your heating on before it gets too cold, just to check it’s working properly and the radiators in each room are heating up as they should.

If you notice any issues with your boiler, such as the pressure is constantly either too high or too low, your boiler is noisy or leaking, it’s a good idea to have these checked out by a professional Gas Safe engineer to ensure there isn’t anything wrong with your boiler.

Check your boiler flow temperature too – this is the temperature your boiler heats the water to before it’s sent to the radiators around your home and can often be set too high. By setting your flow temperature to 60ºc you could reduce your energy use by around 9%¹ without changing the temperature of your thermostat.

You can learn more about common boiler issues in our Heating Hub and discover some simple solutions too.

2. Bleed your radiators

If rooms aren’t heating up or if radiators feel cold at the top and hot at the bottom, it could be a sign that there’s air in the system. If this is the case, your radiators need bleeding to let this air escape and ensure the hot air can circulate around your central heating system efficiently.

The good news is that this is a simple job you can often do yourself without the need of a professional. Find out more and follow our simple guide on how to bleed your radiators.

3. Get your boiler serviced

It’s essential you have your boiler serviced annually and now is great time to do this in preparation for winter. If you haven’t done so already this year, book an appointment for an engineer to come and check that your boiler is working at its best. Servicing your boiler now will help avoid any bigger problems when you need your boiler most during winter.

4. Upgrade your heating

If your boiler is 10-15 years or older, consider upgrading to a new boiler. Newer boilers are more energy efficient than older boilers and could save you energy and money without compromising on the temperature of your home.

And if you’re considering upgrading your heating system, why not install an air source heat pump? Air source heat pumps are a sustainable alternative to heating your home and help to reduce the UK’s reliance on gas and the carbon emissions associated with heating your home.

Plus there's a range of government air source heat pump grants including the Boiler Upgrade Scheme than could save you up to £5,000 on the installation of your new air source heat pump system.

5. Set a timer for your heating

The recommended temperature for your home is between 18-21^oC. By setting a heating timer for your home you can make sure that it's being heated to the right temperature and only when you actually need it to be. So you won’t be wasting energy and money on your heating bills unnecessarily.

Smart thermostats such as Bosch EasyControlenable you tosee how warm your home is, check if your heating is on and even turn it on or off from wherever you are, all by using your smart phone. It can even recognise when your home is empty and automatically turns your heating off when you don’t need it.

And if you want to set different temperatures and heating schedules for different rooms, consider adding smart radiator thermostats to control your radiators if you have central heating.

6. Check your home’s insulation

Having your loft properly insulated and cavity wall insulation can make a huge difference to your home’s temperature and your energy use. If your home is well insulated, you'll need to use less heat to maintain a comfortable home and therefore spend less on your heating bill.

So check your home is as well insulated as it can be. If you’re in need of better insulation, you could be eligible for free or part-funded cavity wall insulation as part of our support for the Great British Insulation Scheme. And don’t forget to check whether you’re eligible for any additional funding to improve your home’s energy efficiency with our green homes grant finder.

Plus, many cold spots, for example under doors or around windows, can easily be banished with low-cost draught excluders. And by shutting windows, internal doors and curtains you can ensure cold air isn’t coming in through any gaps, helping to stop the warmth from your heating escaping.

7. Protect your pipes

Just like us, your pipes aren’t a fan of being cold and in extreme temperatures could freeze and prevent your heating from working properly. And when frozen pipes thaw, this can sometimes cause them to burst.

So before the cold weather really does set in, consider insulating your pipes to protect them from the cold. You can buy insulating materials at DIY stores and wrap them up yourselves.

Getting your home heating ready for winter will not only give you peace of mind that your home will be warm and comfortable over the colder months, it will also help ensure you’re doing your bit to help tackle the climate crisis.

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^{1. Nesta commissioned the Salford Energy House to test how gas consumption for heating varies at flow temperatures of 80°C, 70°C, 60°C, 55°C and 50°C. The tests were carried out between August and September 2022.}