With the radiators switched on, Facile.it estimates that Italians will spend an average of 1,144 euros on gas bills for home heating this year at current free market tariffs.
The first green light will come on in cities in the so-called Zone E, which covers much of northern and central Italy; heating can be switched on here from October 15 and in the coming weeks. , the green light will gradually be extended to other parts of the country.
To prevent the gas bills in our homes from getting “too hot,” here are seven savings tips.
Pay attention to grades
First of all, it’s good to remember that it’s not necessary to recreate the temperature of the Sahara at home; just set a temperature in your home. Not only is it bad for your health, but it wastes gas…and money. Therefore, by lowering the heating temperature by only 1 degree, we can save about 100 euros on the bill.
However, if we decide to reduce the time the radiator is on, a reduction of 60 minutes per day would be enough to reduce costs by approximately 36 euros over a year.
Some tips about the stove
Although most household methane consumption is related to heating, there are benefits to paying attention to the natural gas we use for cooking. Simply taking a few small precautions on your stove can reduce your bills. Some examples? Cooking in a pressure cooker instead of a traditional pressure cooker can help reduce gas consumption, while using a lid when preparing pasta can save you a few euros a year.
In fact, the simple act of reducing the intensity of the fire after the water boils can allow us to save up to 25% of the gas we normally use; based on cooking 200 grams of pasta a day, using this trick, a family of two can save 12 EUR.
A microwave can also be a great helper in reducing consumption and can be an effective alternative to the stove, for example when heating a glass of milk or a cup of tea.
Bathroom and shower
Even in the bathroom, a few simple steps can be enough to save money. The first tip is, of course, to avoid waste; letting the hot water run out while shaving not only wastes this precious resource but also wastes unnecessary gas.
If everyone or almost everyone is now aware that taking a hot bath consumes more energy than taking a shower, few people know that there are steps you can take to reduce consumption even under the shower head. For example, reducing shower time from 7 minutes to 5 minutes can save nearly 30 euro cents each time; however, if the water temperature is lowered by 3 degrees, gas consumption can be reduced by up to 9%.
House bonus, final notice?
If you are able to make structural interventions in your home, such as insulation, roof insulation or replacing fixtures, the savings in energy consumption can be truly significant. For example, a good false ceiling can save up to 20% of energy. These are important pieces that often cost four figures, but through 2024 they can be amortized at least in part through home bonuses.
thermostatic valve
Thermostatic valves allow you to control the temperature of each radiator. Therefore, they can be a useful tool for those who want to adjust the temperature of each radiator to the actual needs of different rooms in the house. For example, if we only use the bedroom for sleeping, the radiators there do not need to be running at full capacity all day long.
From boilers…to common sense
Regular smoke checks are mandatory, but the frequency varies according to the boiler type (from twelve months to four years), in any case, taking into account the winter season, it is recommended to carry out inspections at least once a year. Inefficient equipment is not only potentially dangerous to safety, it can also cause us to pay more than we should.
And, as always, let’s not forget to take some simple “common sense” actions. For example, we limit air exchanges during heating, do not cover the radiators when they are operating, and lower the blinds at night to reduce heat loss; these are small gestures that are free but can save a few euros if you have bills in hand.
Evaluate suppliers
One last tip is to evaluate the rates offered by your natural gas supplier. There are hundreds of sellers on the free market, and in some cases the price differences between sellers can be quite large.
According to analysis by Facile.it, the cost of gas bills can differ by up to 20% between the best and worst offers on the market; therefore, choosing an inconvenient supplier means risking an extra €200 to heat your home risk.
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