NEW guidance has been issued by OFTEC to help homeowners in Cornwall reduce their heating costs over the festive season as temperatures continue to drop.

1. Keep your heating on at a consistent temperature – If you are at home more than usual over the Christmas period. During cold weather it is often more efficient to keep the heating on constantly at a lower temperature, rather than running it at full capacity at intervals throughout the day.

2. Adjust your heating timers – If you are going to be away for Christmas it is important not to waste heat, so don’t run your heating more than you need to. When away, set temperatures between 12 to 15 degrees to avoid the risk of burst pipes during freezing weather.

3. Check your radiators – Remember to adjust individual radiators and turn them down in rooms you aren’t using. You should also ensure furniture or other large items aren’t directly in front of radiators as they will be less effective.

4. Turn down the thermostat – Lowering your thermostat by just 1°C can reduce your heating bill by 10 per cent. However, keep your main room at a minimum temperature of 20°C as living in a cold house can impact your health.

5. Check your fuel supply – ensure you have enough oil in the tank for winter and avoid the pitfalls of ordering oil at the last minute, when delivery times may be longer due to increased demand.

6. Inspect your tank – make sure all caps, lids and vents are secure to prevent damage from rainwater, melting snow and other contaminants. An OFTEC registered technician will inspect the tank as part of a regular service.

7. Close doors and curtains – the simplest measures lead to major energy savings so remember to close curtains and shut doors to keep heat in the rooms you use most.

8. Insulate your pipes – to prevent a freeze up in very cold weather, install lagging around your home heating and water pipes to insulate them. A professional can fit this for you, or keen DIY’ers can purchase lagging from a DIY store.

9. Keep the details of a local heating technician close to hand – a breakdown can be stressful enough without the hassle of finding a reliable tradesman. Do not attempt to fix or service the appliance yourself as modern boilers require a trained professional.

10. Prevention is always best – identifying and fixing a problem earlier is much quicker and less expensive than waiting until it gets worse. Book your boiler in for a service with a OFTEC or GasSafe registered heating technician to provide peace of mind. The system will also be optimised as part of the service to run more efficiently, which could reduce your fuel bills.