My radiator trick to tackle 'secret sludge' and slash energy bills by £450

A HEATING expert has revealed that sludge hidden in your radiators could be adding as much as £450 to bills.

A dirty heating system could increase your bills by as much as 25%, Engineering lecturer Peter Brown says.

With the average energy bill now £1,834 under the energy price cap from October 1, that means getting it sorted could lead to serious savings.

Cleaning the dirt and build-up inside your radiator means it can run more efficiently.

When there's debris choking up the pipes it means the air can't circulate as well, so it takes longer to heat up or you might crank up the temperature dial.

You can clear out the dirt yourself or pay someone to filter out the 'sludge'.

Signs of issues are often clunking or groaning sounds when radiators are on.

You can try and fix this yourself, by bleeding the radiators. Or you might want to get in an engineer to check and flush your heating system.

This can cost around £300 to £500 according to Checkatrade. But it could be money well spent to avoid future breakdowns and clear the muck that's pushing up your bill.

Make sure anyone you task with the job is Gas Safe registered.

More ways to slash your heating bill

Peter also shared his quick hacks and tips to cut your heating bill – while actually making your house hotter.

While underfloor insulation can be expensive, filling the gaps between wooden flooring with a £5 foam spray is extremely effective.

Peter, who has lectured in engineering in Glasgow for ten years said a £15 inflatable draught excluder for an unused chimney can help the temperature climb indoors.

Draught excludes work to block cool air coming into your home from underneath the gap at the bottom of your doors.

You can get them for as little as £7.99 from stores like The Range, however, if you have a thick blanket you can roll it into a sausage shape and that will work just as well.

Radiator foil – which can be bought for around £7 – is also another top tip Peter gives.

Radiator foil goes behind your radiator and reflects any heat going towards it back into the room.

You can find fairly priced radiator foil in stores like B&Q, Screwfix and B&M.

And while it may seem like an effort, tips which allow you to drop your thermostat by just one degree 'correlates to a 10% saving on your bill,' he claims.

Peter, a faculty director of engineering at Glasgow Kelvin College, said: "It's not just the expensive things that keep your heating costs down.

"If you are losing heat through your windows and can't afford double glazing, closing trickle vents and buying draught excluders can be just as effective."

"Underfloor insulation can be costly but cans of spray foam can be bought for a fiver and work successfully to fill the gaps letting out all of your heat."

Poor floor insulation is a common cause of heat loss in a lot of homes as cold air creeps its way through tiny cracks in the flooring.

Experts can lay an insulator underneath your flooring to block all cracks. Prices may vary depending on the type of flooring you have.

According to the Energy Saving Trust, you could save between £40-£65 on your energy bill through floor insulation.

Peter says: "Carpets are usually more effective at keeping the heat in than wooden floors, but laying a carpet if you don't already have one will not necessarily be more cost-effective.

"An unused chimney can be plugged with an inflatable draught excluder, or you could pay a bit extra to get it professionally capped."

Peter says paying attention to your radiators can save you a lot on your bills.

"Investing in a roll of radiator reflecting foil is cheap and they are generally helpful at reflecting the heat back into the room," he said.

"Paying attention to the TRVs, which are the thermostatic valves controlling the temperature at the side of your radiator, is also important.

"Set the temperature in each room depending on how hot you want it – there's no need for your spare bedroom to be constantly heated, and generally sleeping areas don't need to be as warm as living areas.

"Bleeding your radiators regularly is also a sure way to save some cash."

If you want to try bleeding your radiator follow our helpful guide here.

"Every one-degree drop in temperature roughly correlates to a 10% saving on your bill – aim to heat living areas to 21 degrees and bedrooms to 18," Peter said.

If you're looking to fork out, he recommends making sure you'll see a return on your investment within five years and to get an energy assessment to make sure the changes are worth making.

"Take a look at the boiler itself, because it's very old, generally it will be insufficient, so forking out on a new condensing boiler will likely pay back fast," he said.

"Fuel prices have gone down a bit so you should be able to pay it back in five years.

"Wall cavity insulation has the quickest payback time of anything, but you may not be able to install it in a period property, so the houses that need it the most may not get approved.

"Heating controls may also be a nifty investment as they can help heat your house by zone. Although it may set you back by £500-£1000 depending on the size of your house."

"With all these changes you could save around 15% on your heating bills", Peter said.

In other news, people are raving about a £3.25 kit to avoid putting the heating on – and it tackles condensation and mould.

Find out the exact date Aldi’s sell-out winter gadget to avoid putting the heating on returns to stores.

And shoppers are rushing to buy a £1 gadget to avoid putting the heating on and it costs nothing to run.

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My radiator trick to tackle 'secret sludge' and slash energy bills by £450 | The Sun

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