Tip 13: Winter Energy Savings

Save Energy at Home: Tips for Cutting Costs

With winter on the horizon and energy costs rising, reducing heating and electricity bills is a priority for many households. This article provides easy-to-implement strategies to save energy at home, from adjusting heating temperatures to using dynamic energy contracts for cheaper electricity rates.

As winter temperatures drop, heating and energy bills climb, but there are simple, effective ways to cut costs without sacrificing comfort. In this guide, we’ll explore practical tips to optimize your home’s heating system, reduce energy usage, and save on electricity by planning usage during cheaper periods of the day. Whether it’s adjusting boiler settings, improving insulation, or using dynamic energy contracts, these strategies will help you stay warm while lowering your utility bills.

With energy costs rising steadily in recent years, to save energy at home is more important now than ever. Gas prices, in particular, have surged, affecting the annual heating costs for many households. While most people in the Netherlands pay a fixed monthly amount for heating, the true impact of your energy use becomes clear at the end of the year when you either receive money back or have to pay the difference based on your actual consumption. This makes it crucial to be mindful of your energy usage throughout the year, so you can avoid any unwelcome surprises.

Heating typically accounts for the largest portion of household energy usage, followed by appliances, lighting, and water heating. Optimizing these areas can lead to significant savings, especially in light of fluctuating energy prices. Beyond financial savings, reducing energy consumption also contributes to lowering your home’s carbon footprint. By using less energy, you’re playing a part in broader sustainability efforts, aligning with both personal goals and the Dutch government’s climate objectives.

Whether it’s lowering the temperature on your boiler, using a smart thermostat to control heating times, or shifting high-energy tasks to cheaper hours with dynamic energy contracts, small changes can lead to big savings. With modern solutions like energy-efficient appliances and smart home systems, cutting costs and reducing environmental impact has never been easier.

In the following sections, we’ll dive into actionable tips to help you reduce gas and electricity usage in your home while maintaining comfort and convenience.

Winter Energy Savings in a Nutshell

• Adjust heating system settings for efficiency.
• Utilize dynamic energy contracts to lower costs by shifting high-energy tasks to off-peak hours.
• Improve insulation by sealing draughts and using radiator reflectors and heavy curtains.
• Upgrade to LED lighting and energy-efficient appliances to cut electricity usage.
• Invest in smart home technologies to better manage energy consumption long-term.
• Schedule regular maintenance for heating systems to ensure they run efficiently.

Heating your home efficiently can significantly reduce energy consumption during the winter months. Adjusting your heating system’s settings might sound technical or intimidating, but it’s actually very simple and harmless. If these settings aren’t optimized yet—something that’s surprisingly common—you can make a massive impact on your gas usage and save a lot of money by correcting them.

Your boiler (called CV Ketel in Dutch) has two key temperature settings: one for heating your home and one for the hot water that comes from your taps. Both are often set too high by default, which provides more immediate comfort but at a higher energy cost. It’s similar to driving a car—if you drive fast, you’ll reach your destination quickly but use much more fuel. Drive slowly, and you use less gas but take longer. The goal is to find a balance that works for you: do you need your house to heat up in 15 minutes, or can it warm up over two hours? A smart thermostat can help you automate or control this process based on your schedule, so you can heat your home efficiently.

The same goes for hot water—do you really need scalding hot water as soon as you turn on the tap? Here’s how to adjust these settings for better efficiency:

Lower the Boiler Water Temperature: Most boilers are set to heat water to around 75°C or higher, which is more than necessary for most homes. Lowering the water temperature to around 55°C will still keep your home warm while saving gas. However, the ideal setting can vary depending on your home’s insulation. If your house is well-insulated, you can set the temperature lower and still maintain warmth. It’s worth experimenting:

• Start by lowering the temperature and observe if your home still heats up properly.
• If it does, try reducing the temperature by another 5°C to see if it continues to perform well.
• If it doesn’t heat adequately, try increasing the temperature in 5°C increments until you find the perfect balance between comfort and energy savings.

Hot Water Temperature: Most boilers heat water to a very high temperature by default, but you can save energy by lowering it to a more moderate setting. Experiment with this too:

• Lower the hot water temperature in 5°C increments and check if the water still reaches your desired temperature quickly enough.
• If it takes too long to heat, you can increase the temperature in 5°C increments until you find the perfect balance of comfort and efficiency. Lowering the temperature can significantly reduce gas consumption without affecting the convenience of having hot water when you need it.

To find out exactly how to adjust these settings, refer to the manual of your boiler for specific instructions. At the end of this article, we’ve also included a guide on how to change this setting for a popular boiler brand to help you get started.

Floor heating works differently from traditional radiators, as it is designed to heat a home gradually over an extended period. While this is very energy-efficient, managing the temperature of a floor heating system requires a different approach to ensure both comfort and cost savings:

Avoid Large Temperature Fluctuations: Since floor heating is designed to heat slowly, you should avoid lowering the temperature drastically during the day or night. Unlike traditional radiators, where you might reduce the temperature to 16°C when leaving the house or at night, for floor heating, it’s better to maintain a stable temperature. Avoid lowering it by more than 3°C to prevent the system from using excessive energy to heat back up.

• For example, if you prefer a home temperature of 21°C, try to keep it at that level or lower it to no less than 18°C when you’re away.
• Keeping the temperature steady ensures that the system works efficiently without needing to overcompensate to reheat the house later.

Set It and Forget It: Once floor heating has reached the desired temperature, it requires minimal energy to maintain it. Because of its slow response time, it’s best to avoid making constant adjustments. Instead, aim for a consistent setting throughout the day to maximize efficiency.

Ensuring your heating system is working efficiently is key to reducing energy consumption and avoiding costly repairs:

• Boiler Maintenance: A well-maintained boiler is more energy-efficient and less prone to breakdowns. Schedule regular servicing to keep it running smoothly.
• Bleed Your Radiators: If your radiators aren’t heating evenly, they might have trapped air. Bleeding them can improve their efficiency and ensure you’re not wasting energy.

Dynamic energy contracts offer an easy way to lower your electricity costs by charging different rates depending on the time of day. By shifting energy-heavy tasks to off-peak hours when rates are lower, you can significantly reduce your monthly bills without sacrificing convenience. Here’s how to make the most of these flexible pricing plans.

Dynamic energy contracts allow you to pay different rates for electricity depending on the time of day. Prices are lower during off-peak hours (typically late at night or early morning) and higher during peak usage times (evenings and weekends). By planning your household activities around these cheaper hours, you can save a significant amount on your electricity bill.

• Monitor Energy Prices: Use your energy provider’s app or website to track hourly electricity prices.
• Schedule High-Usage Tasks: Shift energy-intensive activities like laundry, dishwashing, or charging devices to off-peak hours when energy rates are lower.
• Use Smart Appliances: Invest in smart home devices and appliances that can be programmed to run automatically at times when energy is cheaper.
• Compare Energy Providers: Check out our article on switching energy providers, which includes more information on dynamic energy contracts and a tool to help you find the cheapest supplier.

Small changes in your daily habits can lead to big energy savings. From improving insulation to making smarter choices with appliances, these easy-to-implement tips will help you cut down on both gas and electricity usage while maintaining comfort in your home.

Proper insulation is one of the most effective ways to reduce energy usage in the winter. Even small fixes can result in substantial savings:

• Seal Draughts: Use weatherstripping or draught excluders around windows and doors to stop cold air from entering and warm air from escaping.
• Install Radiator Reflectors: These inexpensive additions reflect heat back into the room instead of letting it escape through the walls.
• Use Heavy Curtains: Thick curtains act as an extra barrier, keeping the heat inside during the night and preventing heat loss through windows.

Your appliances are responsible for a large portion of your home’s electricity usage, but small adjustments can lead to big savings:

• Switch to LED Lighting: LED bulbs use about 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs and last longer.
• Use Energy-Efficient Appliances: Choose appliances with an A+++ rating for maximum efficiency.
• Unplug Devices: Many devices continue to consume power even when they are switched off. Unplug chargers, gaming consoles, and other electronics when not in use to avoid phantom energy drain.

For sustainable, long-term energy savings, investing in smart technologies and making strategic upgrades to your home can make a significant impact. These techniques require minimal renovation but offer consistent reductions in energy consumption, helping you save money and reduce your environmental footprint over time.

Investing in smart home technologies can help reduce your long-term energy usage:

• Smart Plugs and Meters: These devices track your electricity usage and can be controlled remotely to turn off appliances when not needed.
• Automated Lights and Thermostats: Schedule lights and heating to turn off when not in use, ensuring your home is only consuming energy when necessary.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to change the boiler (CV) and tap water temperatures for most Intergas CV ketels, the most common brand in the Netherlands. While this is a quick and simple process, it’s important to consult your specific boiler’s manual for detailed instructions. And, if you’re not comfortable making these adjustments yourself, it’s always a good idea to ask a professional for help.