Staying warm comes at a price

Households in Exeter estimate that they spend more than £850 per year on heating bills, yet nearly three quarters of adults still feel cold at home according to new research from Barratt Homes.

Spending patterns on heating vary significantly across the country, the Scots are the biggest spenders paying £171 more than those in the South West.  

According to research, the biggest influence on heating bills is the age of the property. 

Typical new-build homeowners save on average £600 per year when it comes to heating bills. And the gap between old and new is growing – a recent calculation from Government suggested that new build homes are 30% more efficient than even five years ago.

Rather than reaching for the thermostat, the research said other ways to keep warm in winter months include putting on extra clothes (68%), having a hot drink (54%) or cuddling up with their partner, children or pets (28%). An active 6% resort to exercising indoors to help boost their temperature. 

The research also showed that, far from being the heart of the home, the kitchen emerged as the coldest room in the house for one in five homeowners (20%), with the hall a close second (18%). 

Barratt Homes, which is building energy efficient homes in Exeter, conducted thermal imaging of both a pre-owned and new build home, highlighting the significant differences in heat loss.

Mark Clare, Barratt Developments group chief executive commented: “Homeowners shouldn’t pay over the odds to stay warm at home, especially as there are many things that can be done to prevent heat leakage.  Simple measures such as insulating your home or keeping furniture away from radiators all help to maximise heating use.

“At Barratt, we use smart techniques, such as airtight doors, high quality insulation in the roof space, double glazing and high efficiency boilers to make sure draughts won’t cause the winter chills.  We’ve also launched an energy saving calculator on our website, so customers can see the savings.”

Estimated heating costs across the UK depend on a variety of factors such as property type and geographic location – with colder temperature in the north reflected in higher bills. 

Five energy saving tips

1. Programme your heating. Many new builds come with a programmable room thermostat, but if your home does not have one, consider installing one, as these allow you to control when you want the heat to go on and what temperature you want in your rooms
2. Keep radiators clear of furniture - it reduces their efficiency
3. Draw the curtains or blinds at night and use draught-blockers for doors – this helps to reduce heat leakage
4. Consider living in a new build home, which can be up to 50% more energy efficient than an upgraded Victorian equivalent
5. If you have a loft, consider insulation.  You could save energy by topping up the thickness of the insulation from 100mm to the recommended 270mm.

To find out how you can save money on energy bills in a new build home and to understand more about how Barratt Homes help you stay warm, visit http://www.barratthomes.co.uk/hometruths.