How to save without sacrificing the comfort of heating: a guide to the costs and consumption of radiators.
The first cold weather is on its way and we run for cover to save on heating.
The indecision on the system to be adopted to keep your home warm without weighing too much on the expensive bill, however, is great and while some make use of systems such as that of the bioethanol fireplace, others focus on [pellet stoves.
However, there are those who do not feel like making an extra investment and will find themselves, like every year, turning on the radiators. How much does this heating system consume in light of the new price hikes? And what strategies to adopt to warm up without burdening expensive bills?
The answers to these questions are crucial in times of energy crisis.
Here is some useful information to face the arrival of winter, contain costs and put a stop to the blows on gas prices.
How to use radiators to save money?
Before understanding consumption, let’s understand how to avoid losing heat. To save on heating without sacrificing the comfort of a warm environment, it is in fact essential to:
- Perform implant maintenance;
- Check the room temperature to switch off the radiators as soon as the desired heat level is reached;
- Monitor the hours of ignition;
- Install reflective panels between the wall and the radiator;
- Screen windows at sunset.
In addition, you must pay close attention to the fact that the hot air is free to circulate. The golden rule therefore is to free the radiators from all obstacles. Curtains, furniture and dryers prevent heat from spreading throughout the environment, making gas or fuel consumption less efficient by 15%.
How many hours to keep the radiators on?
For the human body, living at 19/20 degrees is more than enough. Therefore, we would reach the desidred temperature after an average of 2 to 5 hours of heating. Experts therefore recommend keeping the thermostat at 20-21 ° when you are at home and lowering it to 16-18 ° if you go out. This will also allow for significant savings since for each level lowered consumption is reduced by 5 to 10% while, from 20 ° upwards, expenditure increases by 6/7% for each degree.
How much do radiators cost per hour of consumption?
The energy consumed in one hour of winter heating is variable and influenced by factors such as the thermal insulation of a house but, taking an average, we can say that we are usually talking about a range of 2-12 kWh, equal to 0,25-1.5 m³/hour.
The estimates tell us that the average and domestic cost of 1 kWh to power a methane gas boiler is equal to 0.11 euros. It will therefore suffice to multiply this cost by 5.23 kWh and the figure of 0.57 euros will be obtained, thus defining a good approximation of the hourly cost. Assuming that the size of the apartment is about 100 square meters, you spend 0.57 euros per hour.
Without a doubt, the personal habits of a family unit, first of all the lifestyle and the time spent at home, are decisive for a positive and negative fluctuation of these values, but according to some estimates, each family would spend per year approximately 900 euros for domestic heating systems with an average cost of around 80 euros per month.
Original article published on Money.it Italy 2022-11-05 23:25:58.
Original title: Quanto consumano i termosifoni?
