Even in the height of summer, it can get cold. Your home heating needs to be up to scratch whatever the month, and our heat pumps are by far the most effective way to keep your place cosy and comfortable on cooler days. But all the good work our heat pumps do could be undermined by some common home heating mistakes, including these big clangers.
- Heating an empty house. Why bother heating a house if you’re at work most of the day or just at a movie for a few hours? Many people believe it’s far more energy-efficient and cost-effective to leave their heat pumps running even when they’re not home. We believe that is not the way to do it – you’re much better off by using your heat pump when you need it. Get to know the timer setting on your remote and have it turn on your heat pump an hour or so before you come home. Or invest in a high-tech heat pump that can be operated from anywhere via your home wi-fi network. It’s more economical to do it that way instead of having your heat pump endlessly warming empty rooms.
- Setting too high a temperature. This is another rookie mistake – cranking up the heat pump to a high temperature won’t warm the room any faster. It will simply end up running longer than expected, which will lead to a higher power bill. Increase the temperature gradually instead of trying to get too hot, too quickly. Setting the temperature at 20 – 22 degrees is better than 26 – 28 – there is just a few degrees difference on the face of it, but a world of difference in power usage!
- Leaving exhaust fans on. This is one you might not have thought of before. Turn off exhaust fans in the kitchen or bathroom as soon as you have finished using them. Exhaust fans are great at sucking up moisture and odours from your home, but once they’ve done those jobs, they’ll begin to draw warm air out of your house if you leave them on for longer than is necessary.
- Leaving your windows unlocked. While you may think it’s enough to simply close your windows, you really need to lock them as well to avoid losing energy. A window that isn’t tightly sealed will allow cold air from the outside to enter your home, and the warm air from the heat pump to escape.
These simple tips will help you stay warm when cooler days strike in any season. Something else you can do to stay cosy is to invest in one of our world-class heat pumps or have your existing one serviced. Contact us and we’ll supply, or service!