With the ever-encroaching longer nights and short winter days approaching fast, thermostats get turned up and the heating is left on for longer.

Usually there will be one thing left on the back burner until the New Year - the dreaded bill. Many will discover to their horror that their heating bills can sometimes be double or even triple the amount they were paying in the summer.

Thankfully, comparing gas prices and saving money on your gas bill is relatively simple and easy - as long as it becomes a natural habit. So here are a few tips to have the heating on as little as possible.

Keep the heat in: As well as wrapping up warm, it is a good idea to keep doors closed as much as possible and that is not just the external doors, but the internal doors as well. This will keep the heat in a confined space such as the room that is to be lived in.

About an hour before going to bed, it is a good idea to turn the radiators on in the bedrooms that are going to be slept in. To warm up the bed, a good old hot water bottle wouldn’t go amiss either.

Cut out drafts: being aware of any drafts you have is important, because if there are drafts this will make your central heating work harder. Check your windows, especially those that are not double glazed.

There are sealant strips that can be bought from many hardware stores to reduce this problem. Then there is the old fashioned draft “snake”, usually an old stocking filled with dense materials and placed at the foot of a door.

Insulate your loft: Insulation is important to keep your gas bill down, such as loft and wall cavity insulation. It is widely known that the majority of heat escapes from the roof.

The best way to find out if the loft is well insulated is to take a measurement of the insulation thickness. The minimum thickness you will need is 150mm/6″, while the recommended thickness is 200mm/8″.

Don’t forget the walls: Cavity wall insulation is another fantastic way to significantly reduce the amount of energy needed to heat your home. In fact, doing so could reduce heating costs by 15% in the average home.

Cavity wall insulation is also good for the environment. According to the Energy Saving Trust, 800,000 households that installed it between 2002 and 2005, made a saving of nearly 400,000 tonnes of CO2, enough to fill the new Wembley Stadium 47 times.

Get a better deal on your gas: It also makes sense to get a good deal when it comes to your gas supplier.

Shopping around for the best deal is not as hard as it sounds as there is an easy way to compare gas prices for your area such as going online. If going online is a problem then ask a friend or relative to go online for you.

The best products to go for are what are known as “online” tariffs. These remove the need for paper bills to be sent in the post and as a result tend to carry excellent discounts.

As well as having a good impact on the environment, online tariffs are the cheapest around. They also allow you to manage your energy bill online and enter “actual” meter readings, therefore helping to avoid the dreaded “estimated” bill.

So there you have it. Shop around and make sure you’re saving money on your gas.

About the Author I am an experienced writer based in the UK with knowledge of energy, energy providers and always on the look out for better deals and savings for the consumer.

After thorough research, the best website I have found for an excellent deal in comparing gas prices is at Moneysupermarket.com

Faulty Heating Appliances ‘Could Cause Financial Difficulties’ This Winter

As winter draws in and the nights get colder, consumers may find themselves coming under financial pressure, it has been suggested.

The news comes as research carried out by Abbey reveals that about half of all British adults - some 19.6 million people - are set to use some form of heating appliance apart from central heating, such as electric blankets and gas heaters, to keep warm other the winter. However, as the company warns homeowners to use such devices safely, any damage caused by the items could well put strain on their capacity to manage their money. The news comes as data suggests a total 3.3 million pounds worth of damage, just under 500 pounds per consumer, is caused every year due to additional heating appliances, a figure which may see the costs of repairing property put pressure on people’s ability to make homeowner loan and utility bills payments.

However, financial management problems could be even more pronounced for the two million people set to use oil radiators to keep themselves cosy this winter. The cost of repairing the damage caused by such a faulty appliance accounts for some 809 pounds. Meanwhile, 8.1 million are looking to use an electric blanket, which causes damages costing a typical 327 pounds to fix. And electric heaters are used by 6.2 million consumers, however as it results in an average of 416 pounds to repair any harm to homes they cause. Thus such people may also develop difficulties in replacing items and meeting personal loan repayments.

Pointing to government figures, the financial provider also stated that electric blankets alone cause more than 5,000 fires in the home every 12 months - the majority of which are started by blankets more than ten years old. Overall, some 4,500 accidental fires are started in the bedroom each year.

Prasad Shastri, head of insurance marketing for Abbey, said: “It is understandable that additional heating appliances are used during the winter, but it is important that they are checked prior to use to ensure that they are not faulty and that they are used correctly otherwise they could prove to be very dangerous.

“We would always advise that people do not leave the heating appliance unattended or fall asleep with it on. Purchasing a timer switch will ensure that electric heaters are not left on longer than necessary. Always exercise caution if the heater has not been used for a while and if in any doubt, get a qualified person to check that it is not faulty.”

As a result, those consumers looking to meet the costs of repairing any damage caused by a heating appliance may wish to consider taking out a home improvement loan. Earlier this year, Andrew Leech, spokesperson from the National Home Improvement Council, stated that carrying out renovations could be an effective way for homeowners to boost the value of a property, with applying for such a homeowner loan one method in which such costs can be met. However, Mr Leech reported that people looking to refurbish their homes or get an extension should ensure that any plans have been granted permission by the local authorities. He added that by getting work - such as loft insulation - carried out, consumers could also “save a considerable amount on [their] heating bill”.

About the Author

Steve Smith writes for 1 stop finance shop where visitors can apply for UK secured loans and also focuses on for UK residents.