Heating costs can be a significant burden for businesses. There are various measures to reduce these costs. Some of them are easy to implement, others require larger investments. In the following, we present some tips to reduce heating costs in your company.
Small measures with effect
In many buildings, the radiator niches are not or only insufficiently insulated. This means that heat escapes unused and thus causes unnecessary costs. A simple solution is to fill the radiator niches with insulating material. This keeps the heat in the room and can reduce heating costs.
Set the thermostat correctly
One of the easiest and most effective ways to save on heating bills is to set the thermostat correctly. Many companies run their heaters at full power continuously, but this is often unnecessary. A temperature difference of 1°C can mean savings of 6% on heating costs.
Bleed the heater to stop it gurgling
If there is a constant gurgling or gurgling sound near the heater in your business, this may indicate an air bubble in the system. This air bubble can cause the heater to not work effectively, causing unnecessary costs. Regular venting of the radiators can help here.
No furniture and curtains in front of the radiator
Do not place furniture or curtains in front of the radiators. If there are objects near the heater, the heat will be blocked and the room will not be optimally heated. This leads to a longer heating-up time and higher heating costs.
Turn down the heating when you’re away
If the business is vacant outside of business hours, heating should be kept to a minimum. Some thermostats have a special Away Time setting that automatically turns the heating down. This can mean a significant saving.
Adjust the heating properly
Most heaters have various settings that can be adjusted as needed. An effective way to save on heating costs is to adjust the heating to the actual room temperature. A setting of 20 °C to 22 °C is usually sufficient.
Insulate radiator niches
In many buildings, the radiator niches are not or only insufficiently insulated. This means that heat escapes unused and thus causes unnecessary costs. A simple solution is to fill the radiator niches with insulating material.
Major measures and investments
Regular maintenance of the heating systems and heating pumps is necessary to maintain their efficiency. Inefficient heating not only works more expensively, but can also lead to premature failure. Under certain circumstances, a renewal of the heating system can also be considered if it is already showing its age.
Another option for optimizing the heating system is the integration of weather data. The more accurate the weather forecast, the more efficiently the system can work. Weather data can be transmitted via special interfaces, so-called Wetter APIs, integrate into existing systems. For example, the forecast for the next few days can be used to adjust the heating output to the outside temperatures to be expected. One provider of such weather APIs is Meteomatics.
Insulate heating pipes yourself quickly and easily
In addition to the radiator niches, the heating pipes should also be insulated. Uninsulated pipes can lose up to 15% heat. The pipes can be insulated quickly and easily with self-adhesive insulating materials.
Seal windows and doors
Leaky windows and doors are one of the most common causes of heat loss and thus also of high heating costs. It is therefore advisable to regularly check whether windows and doors are properly sealed. For this example, sealing strips can be used, which can be attached easily and quickly.
Insulate roller shutter boxes
Roller shutter boxes can also lead to heat loss if they are not sufficiently insulated. In older buildings in particular, the roller shutter boxes are often leaky and thus allow cold air to get inside. Subsequent insulation of the roller shutter boxes can help to save on heating costs.
Conclusion
There are various ways to reduce heating costs in the company. Small measures such as the use of programmable thermostats and the right ventilation behavior can already have a big effect. Larger investments such as optimizing the heating system by including weather data and the building envelope can pay off in the long term. With these tips, companies can sustainably reduce their heating costs.
Published by: ARKM Central Editors