At one time, we made gas heating in our apartment. And everything would be fine, but gas bills have been impressive lately. With the advent of autumn last year, I began to think about how to save money. Once in a conversation I shared my problem with another. He told me that there are many ways to save on heating. I had not thought about such obvious things before.
Long gone are the days when it was possible to heat the room by turning on all the gas burners. Currently, many apartments have gas meters installed, which inexorably show dull indicators. We also installed a meter, without which individual heating would cost a whopping amount.
A friend said that there are only two ways to save on gas:
- Reduce consumption.
- Modernize heating equipment, insulate an apartment and so on.
The first option is available for each of us and does not require investment. But the second option allows you to save without changing the level of comfort and lifestyle. But in this case, you will have to spend quite a lot of money first.
Consumption reduction
I began to pay attention to how we use gas during cooking. Most often, burners are turned on at full strength, increasing costs. A friend recommended me to do the following:
- Pay attention to the power of the burner, it must certainly correspond to the cooked dish. No need to digest food. Flames should not cover the pan. It is worth purchasing energy-saving utensils that can reduce gas consumption. Since there were no funds in the budget to replace all the pots, it was decided to use a fire divider. It also allows you to save.
- Do not cook small amounts of food in a gas oven. Small portions of dishes are best prepared in microwave ovens or slow cookers. Culinary experts even recommend using an economical mode of languor. This method of preparation was used by our ancestors, keeping dishes for a long time in ovens. In this case, beneficial substances and vitamins are stored in food.
Water heating
To obtain hot water, we used a flow heater. Its advantage is that gas is used only during operation. When buying a column, you must correctly select its capacity, which should correspond to the average consumption of hot water.
According to experts, more powerful heaters consume more gas. Instant water heating is very cool, but is it worth it to overpay?
Individual heating
Individual gas heating has a lot of advantages, so it has become quite popular. Among his fans was me. The prospect of being able to control the temperature of the batteries seemed very tempting to me. In our house, troubles always occurred in the heating season. For this reason, it was decided to switch to gas heating. After a few years, I realized how to save. For a comfortable life, it is enough to maintain a temperature of no more than +21 degrees in the room. Many of us feel more comfortable at + 26 ... + 28 degrees. But doctors still recommend a cooler temperature. The body does not tolerate a state of constant overheating.
It is very convenient to use thermostats that are installed on batteries.With their help, you can maintain a comfortable temperature and turn off the heating in those rooms that you do not use at the moment, for example, during the day in the bedroom, and at night in the kitchen.
Owners of plastic windows in cold weather air the premises using the “winter airing” mode. According to experts, this mode should not be used. It leads to significant heat loss, because you leave the window open for a long time. I prefer full ventilation for several minutes, it is much more effective.
Wanting to save money, I began to pay attention to all the little things. I stopped using curtains that steal heat, closing working radiators. In addition, I had to regularly perform boiler maintenance.
The thing is that the dirt accumulated on the heat exchanger increases gas consumption.
Insulation of a house or apartment
To reduce heat loss, it is necessary to insulate your apartment. If you live in a private house, you will have to take care of the thermal insulation of the walls, roof and windows. Part of the heat also goes through the vencanals. It is no secret that warm air rises, and cooler air replaces it.
Mineral wool, “sandwich panels”, foamed polymers are used to warm the attic and roof. The choice of funds depends on the specific situation and roof design.
Fortunately, I did not have to insulate the walls, because in our house they are quite thick. But about the glazing of the balcony, I began to think more and more often. Old frames, unfortunately, have become leaky. In the apartment, I replaced the windows a long time ago, now I plan to do insulation of the balcony in the summer, which closes the windows of two rooms.
It remains to choose high-quality double-glazed windows. After all, using them you can reduce heat loss. It is better to give preference to models with high energy characteristics. Quality windows mean ease of use and significant savings. Choose models with three or more double-glazed windows. Modern manufacturers even offer glass coated on one side with a reflective layer.
Sensor Installation
Initially, in my apartment there were no temperature sensors on radiators. But a friend strongly recommended installing them. In addition, I had to automate the boiler. To do this, I installed temperature controllers in it that control the temperature of the air in the street. Such simple devices make the heating system “smart”. Now she regulates the temperature in the apartment herself. If it gets warmer outside, the boiler automatically delivers less heat. This will save me.
Equally convenient room thermostats. They allow the gas boiler to shut off as soon as the room temperature reaches the set point. In addition, this frees users from having to manually adjust the room temperature.
According to my observations, using an adjustable thermostat can save up to 20-25%. My experience is confirmed by the calculations of specialists who believe that lowering the temperature by only one degree gives a savings of 4-6%.
Abroad use thermostats, which during the absence of the hosts reduces the room temperature by 5-10 degrees. And after their return, comfortable mode returns. The most advanced models can even be programmed over the Internet. But you can only dream of such devices for now.
Instead of an afterword
I am very grateful to a friend who told me about ways to save. From my own experience I was convinced that there are no trifles. The combination of all methods makes it possible to get good savings. Of course, it’s not immediately possible to feel all the advantages of new products in the house, since in the beginning you will have to make significant financial investments.
If until you have the money, try to use at least affordable means to minimize heat loss. All of these methods work in practice. I didn’t think about this before.But now my plans are to upgrade the heating system.