How can I reduce our oil bill?

suki1964

So far you have had lots of good tips - insulate the best you can. Get those carpets up and check what the boards underneath are like - bit of ply over the top before relaying the carpet will help ( and is cheap and easy)

Draught excluder on all doors and windows

if you have open fireplaces not used - stuff the chimneys with a duvet ( tie a rope around it so you can pull it back out and as a reminder its there)

Long term oil is not ever going to be cheap ( right now its wild dear) so you may need to look long term solutions

Here we have gone for multi fuel stoves ( we have two as a big house) The initial outlay isnt cheap (stoves not bad - its the flues and installation costs that push the price up ) So yes we now have the added cost of solid fuel but that has been more then offset by the reduction in oil we use plus we stock up during the summer months on smokeless and wood so we arent stuffed with huge winter bills

Our heating and hot water costs have gone down from around £50 a week(on two years ago oil prices which looking at the price of oil now would be £100 a week now ) to about £30 during the winter months ( oct - may here)

Heavy work at times and you need to be organised but for us they are worth their weight in gold

Lleucu

I have the same problems though gas not oil and these are the steps I took sorry about repeating other posts:

1. Good curtains lined with fleece fabric from Ikea they did stock large blankets, I sewed them into the linings.
2. I had upholstery wool from Laura Ashley and made a huge door curtain.
3. Secondary glazing of sash windows about £150 a window in this area.
4. Secondary glazing of front door and light above it.
5. As replaced floorboards lined underneath.
6. Tanked celler - this has made a huge difference.
7. Insulated loft to high standard with a grant.
8. Cavity wall not possible as some solid walls so insulated the inside of a gable wall which is north facing (again big difference)
9. Insulated front door / letter box, key flap installed.
10. Extension on rear of house has now been completed and protects back of house.
11. Log burner in extension. Block the chimneys initially by the crude method of an old pillow in a plastic sack but remove this in summer and dont let the chimneys get damp.

Our bills are now £60 pcm for gas (average over year), £50 for electricity and £8 per week for coal in the coldest months. Neighbours - well one poor neighbour on a gas pp meter says she spends about £50 - £70 per week.

Above all understand the house and why it was built that way (to facilitate open fires). Make a list of desirable improvements and work through them steadily. Don't despair, the house will be lovely in summer.
Even now very careful with consumption, wear 2 - 3 layers of clothing, make sure all interior doors are closed and switch of radiators in unused rooms. Designate 1 room as a living room and keep it warm.

beanrua

I put an extra pair of lined curtains on top or under the existing lined curtains directly on to the curtain pole or rail using shower curtain rings. They just clip on in situ in minutes. Extra curtains bought in charity shop and shower curtain rings cost £1.

katieclampet

There is a "preparing for winter" thread on the old style board (sorry cant do links) that you might find helpful. There is loads of good advice, and hints and tips about how to keep warm, reduce fuel bills etc. You might have to go back a good bit, since the thread has been running since summer.

katiex
:xmassign::xmastree: