Energy firm urges households to ‘prepare now’ for winter

British Gas has urged households to “prepare now” for the winter ahead of most people turning on their heating by the end of this month.

The energy firm said more than 1.2 million customers called on its engineers to fix broken boilers last winter to get their heating and hot water system back up and running.

The firm’s customer data shows there is a boiler switch-on each year during the first September cold snap, but the majority turn their heating on in late October or when there are four consecutive days of minimum temperatures below 9C.

Sunny Solanky, a British Gas service and repair engineer, said: “Now that summer is behind us, many people will be thinking about turning their heating back on for the first time since last winter and that’s often when unwanted issues can appear.

“Keeping your boiler in good working order is key to making sure everything runs smoothly, and a few simple changes around the home can also make a real difference to your comfort and energy use.”

The firm said households should bleed their radiators, especially if the top of the radiators feels cooler than the bottom, by using a radiator key, gently opening the valve at the top to let the air escape before closing it again.

Other tips include:

– making sure windows and doors are properly sealed by using self-adhesive foam strips around frames, and draught excluders for blocking gaps beneath doors, as well as inexpensive keyhole covers and letterbox brushes to stop cool air entering the house

– ensuring heavy furniture is not placed in front of radiators while using thicker curtains and laying rugs on bare floors to reduce heat escaping

– embracing ‘zonal heating’ by avoiding warming rooms that are not in use

– insulating pipes to avoid them cracking or bursting when water turns to ice

– keeping the thermostat set between 18C and 21C to ensure both comfortable and cost-effective heating. British Gas said reducing the temperature by just one degree could trim around 10% off heating costs, saving the average household roughly £75 a year

– scheduling heating to switch on about 15 minutes before you get up and to turn off half an hour before bedtime.