It can’t have escaped your notice that we are in the middleof an energy crisis. With the price of gas and electricity rising sharply, thecost of heating your home has never been of greater concern. And with winter onthe doorstep, you may well be wondering how best to negotiate the colder monthsahead, making sure your home is warm while managing your household budget. Let’sstart with three basic recommendations:

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There is a myth circulating that it is cheaper to leave thecentral heating on low all the time rather than turning it on and off. However,according to experts from the Energy Saving Trust, this isn’t actually the caseat all. You’re more likely to save energy (and money) if you only use theheating when you need it. Think of it in terms of heat loss. Even the bestinsulated house in the country will still lose energy, so if you keep thecentral heating on all day, you’ll be losing energy all day too. Better to onlyheat your house when necessary.

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Think about when you need your home to be warm, and when youdon’t. There’s no point heating your home when you’re fast asleep or whenyou’re out at work, so use a thermostat to set the times for your boiler tocome on. Make sure you have a modern, responsive thermostat that accuratelyrecords the temperature in the house, so there’s no unnecessary delay tomaintain the desired temperature. According to Octopus Energy, turning down thetemperature by just 1 degree could save in the region of £130 per year on yourenergy bill.

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It should go without saying that there’s little point heatingrooms you don’t use much. If you have thermostatic radiator valves, you cancontrol your heating for each room, turning off the radiator in spare rooms orhallways and saving money. What’s more, rooms that are in frequent use may wellhave other heating appliances in situ. If you have a fireplace or stove in yoursitting room or kitchen/diner, use it to target the heat where it’s neededwithout putting the central heating on.

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When it comes to heating appliances for individual rooms,there’s a wealth of choice out there. At Sussex Fireplace, we specialise in thesupply, installation and maintenance of fireplaces and stoves, gas fires and electric fires, and wehave a vast product range for you to view at our showrooms in Eastbourne and Brighton.

Highefficiency gas fires

You may be surprised to hear that modern gas fires are amongthe most energy efficient appliances you can buy today, featuring glass fronts tostop heat escaping up the chimney. There are 100% efficient flueless gas firesthat don’t need a chimney, high efficiencyinset gas fires that use an existing chimney to upgrade it tohigh efficiency, and balanced flue gas fires that require a special flue systemand are around 85% energy efficient. Our team will be happy to talk you throughall the options. As for the cost of heating an average living room, a Gazcohigh efficiency gas fire will cost less than £1.80 per evening.

100%energy electric fires

The cost of heating a room with an electric fire is aboutthree times higher than with a comparable gas fire. However, electric fireswaste no heat, making them 100% efficient at the point of use. The benefit of anelectric fire is that it’s easy to install anywhere in thehome. As nothing is actually burnt, you don’t need a chimney or flue, just apower supply. There’s a huge range of traditional and contemporary productsavailable including wall-mounted fires, inset fires and electric stoves usingpatented myst or hologram flame effect – so you’re bound to find the perfectsolution for your home.

Solidfuel stoves and fireplaces

Many people are now deciding to move to log burners in aneffort to get away from expensive gas and electricity usage. A woodburning stove ormultifuel stove can be a beautiful focal feature in a room, producing cosywarmth and an attractive real flame. However, when it comes to energyefficiency, there are better options. Did you know that an open fire is onlyabout 25% efficient since most of the heat generated goes straight up thechimney? Stoves return 50-85% efficiency, depending on the type and model, butthe cost of firewood can soon mount up. The cost of installing a woodburningstove is also considerably higher than installation of a gas fire.

Visit the Sussex Fireplace Gallery

When it comes to real fires, gas fires and electric fires andfireplaces, The Sussex Fireplace Gallery is your one-stop shop for all yourneeds. As an established family business with a wealth of specialist knowledge and a fully qualifiedin-house installation team, we can help you find the best solution for yourhome and budget. Contact us today withyour enquiry or pop into one of our Sussex showrooms to speak to our friendlyteam and view the many working displays in store.

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