With temperatures falling and the days getting shorter, homes throughout Hampshire and Surrey are becoming increasingly reliant on their central heating systems. As such systems are rarely used during the summer months, it’s often only during the onset of winter that householders discover problems with boilers in Haslemere or plumbing in Petersfield that could have been sorted out far sooner.

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If you want to make the most of your central heating while keeping your utility bills low, it’s important to ensure you don’t fall for any of the common myths about central heating. According to a study by the Energy Saving Trust, six out of ten people make at least one mistake – that ends up adding to the cost of their annual heating bill – when it comes to using the thermostat in their homes.

Thermostat

More than half of all households turn up the thermostat when the temperature falls outside. However, the whole point of a thermostat is to maintain a constant, comfortable temperature inside, so if you whack up the heat, you’ll simply end up too hot.

Another error is turning the thermostat up to the maximum in order to heat a home more quickly. In reality a thermostat can only control the final temperature, not the speed at which your house heats up. It’s also a huge mistake to think that leaving the heating on low all the time – as thirty-eight percent of households do – is more efficient that turning it on and off as needed. Heating your home when you’re not there is nothing more than a huge waste of money.

Boiler

In addition to using your heating system in the most efficient way possible, you can also add to your savings by making sure your home is ready for the winter. Using a Gas Safe registered engineer to service your boiler each year is a good idea as many potential issues can be spotted and resolved long before they start to cause problems. For example, firms like www.1stadvanced.co.uk service and repair boilers in Haslemere, Farnham, Godalming and Petersfield as well as the surrounding areas.

Other tips include ensuring all your drains and gutters are cleared of leaves, checking the insulation in your loft and around your pipes and making sure you’re on the best possible energy tariff.