Reducing our heating bills quickly and cheaply
During the cold season many people are thinking about how to reduce their heating and hot water bills. This is a particularly pressing problem in Hungary, where surveys show that 85% of energy use by Hungarian households goes on heating and hot water. This is mainly due to the fact that our houses are significantly outdated and the renovation rate is far below what is needed. The climate-corrected heating demand of Hungarian households is 1.6 times higher than the EU average.
Previously, subsidised utility prices have meant that there has been little incentive to renovate in this country, but the reform of the utility bill two years ago has made people realise that they need to rethink these issues. Since then, the internet has seen a proliferation of articles on how to reduce these costs, suggesting old and new solutions, and steps requiring small and large investments.
The main aim of this article is to put together a number of tips from different sites around the web, as a kind of summary. Following the principle of “many little things go a long way", we will focus on solutions that require no or only moderate financial investment, while larger-scale steps will be mentioned only very briefly.
Solutions that require a change in behaviour
Reducing the temperature
In Hungary in general, most homes are warmer than ideal. Not surprisingly, before the significant rise in energy prices in 2022, we consumed proportionally more heat per square meter than most EU countries, according to the European Environment Agency. But this is not just due to the oft-mentioned inadequate insulation. Even after the changes to the rules for cutting energy bills and the significant increase of gas prices, 47% of those surveyed planned to spend the winter months in a comfortable temperature of between 21°C and 24°C, and 3% in a home with a temperature above 24°C, according to a Pulzus survey.
But with a little change, you can save considerable sums. By lowering the temperature by one degree, you can reduce your energy consumption by 5-6% and your heating costs by a slightly smaller amount. To feel comfortable, we recommend 20°C in the living room, 22°C in the children's room and 18°C in the bedroom. Room temperature used to be understood as exactly 20°C, and a few decades ago, a T-shirt was not the norm at home in the cold season, but sweaters, socks and long trousers were the way to spend the day. So, if we keep it at 20°C instead of 24°C, we can reduce our energy consumption by about 20%. It's important to get your body used to lower temperatures, not suddenly, but degree by degree!
Furthermore, if you have a room in your house or flat that you don't use regularly (e.g. a guest room, storage room), close the doors, put a draught excluder on the door and turn the heating down to about 12°C. As this is much higher than the freezing point, it will help to keep the inside of floors and the gaps in the walls– where water pipes may run – safely above freezing.
If you're not going to be home for a longer period, it's worth turning the heating down by 2-3°C, reducing heating costs by 7-15%. If you are only going to be away for a few hours, don't let the air cool below 18-19°C, as it is a significant cost to heat up your home again. It is also worth preparing the weekend houses and holiday homes for the winter by, keeping the temperature between 5-7°C.
Humidification
In addition to the right temperature setting, it is also important to have an ideal humidity level of between 40-60%. If the air is humid enough, even lower temperatures can feel warm. If it is less than this, i.e. too dry, the mucous membranes in your respiratory tract dry out, making it easier to catch infections. And high humidity can harbour dust mites and moulds, which contribute to asthma.
Ventilation
It may seem small, but proper ventilation is essential. To minimise heat loss from the home, it is a good idea to ventilate several times a day with the windows open for just a few minutes, so that the used air is quickly replaced by fresh air from outside. In this way, neither the walls nor the equipment will get too cold. However, turn the heating down first, as the cold on the radiator will increase its output. With tilted windows left open longera lot of heat escapes through the gap cooling off the flat, while you only heat the street.
Window blinds
Roller and other window blinds can help control the temperature not only in the hot summer months, but also in winter, as closing the blinds or the curtains in the evening can help keep the warm air in and the cold air out. Even with new and well-insulated windows, blinds can greatly improve thermal insulation and can save up to 10-15% of energy. However, in winter, on sunny days, we should open the shutters, as the sunlight can act as extra heating.
Changes with minimal investment
Maintenance
Regular and professional maintenance of both windows and heating equipment is essential to reduce monthly bills.
Heat loss through windows ranges from 25-30%. As a first and more economical step, it is essential to ensure that rubber seals are in good condition to ensure a perfect seal on windows. Plastic window sealing gaskets are not eternal; in general, regularly maintained gaskets can lose their elasticity in 15 years, while unmaintained gaskets can lose their elasticity in as little as 5 years. Over time, the rubber seals harden, lose their original shape, flatten or crack, so that the windows do not close perfectly and heat escapes. To prevent premature ageing, it is advisable to lubricate the sealing gaskets at least every six months with glycerine or other rubber care products. (Glycerine is an oily substance available from any pharmacies, over the counter, and the smallest packet is sufficient.) It is also worth regularly lubricating the hardware.
Venting of the heaters is also essential to maintain their efficiency. Trapped air prevents the radiator from heating up fully and a constant air pocket can cause corrosion. If the radiator feels colder at the top than at the bottom, an air pocket has probably formed in it, preventing the water from circulating fully. Radiators that are vented before the heating season starts can use up to 15% less energy. Venting can be done on your own, so it’s not even a costly process.
Dusting of radiators is especially important before the winter season. A lot of dust can get trapped in them and they can smell unpleasant when the heating is turned on. When dusting everything in the home, don’t leave out the radiators! It’s a dirty job, but it's worth it. You can do it yourself with a radiator cleaning brush but if you don't have the patience, you can get professional help.
Of course, it is also important to have your boiler, radiators and convectors serviced annually by a professional, as this can save up to 5-10% on heating costs.
Thermostat
The ideal home temperature has already been discussed, and energy-conscious and cost-effective heating system optimisation with a thermostat can help to achieve that. A thermostat is a device with a heat sensor that controls the heating system. It turns the heating on or off based on the set and current temperature. Depending on the heating system, there may be a single thermostat in the house, apartment or even in each room. By programming the heating, using smart thermostats and smart thermocouples, controlling and timing the room or radiator, you can save up to 13-20% of energy. The worse the insulation, the more you can save with timing and room-by-room control.

There are 3 types of thermostats:
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Manual thermostat: the traditional, simplest and cheapest solution. It detects the temperature change and signals it to the central heating system, which heats the room up to the set value and then sets itself on stand-by.
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Programmable thermostat: a modern, convenient choice. These devices are now programmable, so they can be set to a variety of settings and can also be timed. Because they are sensitive by design, they are more efficient and because they optimise consumption, they are a more energy-efficient choice.
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Wifi thermostat: state-of-the-art technology, the pinnacle of control technology. Thanks to the Internet connection, it provides remote access so you can control the temperature of your home even when you are far away from home. (However, it requires more electricity and increases electromagnetic radiation in your home.)
Heat mirror or heat reflecting foil
Radiators give off heat in almost the same amount in all directions, so they not only heat the home, but also transfer a lot of energy to the walls. This means that, especially in an inadequately insulated home, the energy escapes to the street and the street is heated. The colder it is outside, the sooner the heat goes out. Put heat reflecting foils behind the radiators to reflect the heat coming out of the radiators and deflect them into the room to keep the temperature even. This simple practice can save up to 10-18% energy. The advantage of the heat mirror is that it can be used with a variety of heating systems.

Window film
Window film works on a similar principle. Around 30% of the heat lost is lost through the window, which can be reduced by proper insulation. One of the most economical ways of doing this is to use window film, which forms an extra layer on the glass, insulating the surface and reflecting up to 93% of the heat that escapes, thus significantly reducing our energy consumption. At the same time, the transparency of the glass is not compromised. It also has the advantage of reflecting harmful UV rays and reducing condensation, making it less likely for fungus and mould to grow on windows. Installation is simple, with useful tips including here.
Hydraulic balancing
Hydraulic balancing is the process of assessing the heat demand of rooms and adjusting the heating system so that the heating energy is distributed as evenly as possible throughout the house and the desired temperature is achieved in each room. If the heating control is not optimally calibrated, the system will heat rooms close to the boiler, but not so much further away. As a result, the latter rooms need more energy even though there is sufficient heating heat flowing through the system.
To reduce your heating costs, it is worth having the heating systems hydraulically balanced. To do this, a specialist will determine the heat demand in each room and adjust the heating system so that the heating energy is distributed as evenly as possible throughout the house and the desired temperature is reached in each room.
Interior insulation practices
There is no doubt that the best way to insulate buildings is to add an external layer of insulation to the walls, but this is not always possible (for example, in the case of panel houses where not all the occupants agree, or in the case of historical buildings) and involves a significant investment. Smaller, internal insulation measures can already significantly reduce heat loss in apartments and houses and can have a number of advantages, as it is economical and can be carried out gradually, room by room, unlike external insulation.
The simplest, quickest and cheapest solution is to place thick carpets and tapestries in the rooms, which work on essentially the same principle as the window film. They provide an extra layer to improve poor or incomplete wall insulation or to keep cold floors warmer. A bare, uncarpeted floor can also lose 10-20% more energy than a carpeted floor. You can help keep the warmth by using an insulated underlay, which should be laid not only under the carpet but also under laminate flooring. In addition, thick and soft textiles can give the home a cosy feel.
Another practical and cost-effective solution is to use insulating wallpaper. Its many advantages include minimal loss of space, it can be used not only on walls but also on ceilings, it does not necessarily require a professional to install, and it is also a great solution for soundproofing. Most often the core of thermal wallpaper is foamed polyethylene or styrene material with good thermal insulation properties, covered with thick cardboard on one or both sides which makes it easier to apply. The disadvantage of these insulating materials is that they are not made of natural materials, so their production and use is also more harmful to the environment. A slightly more costly but more environmentally friendly solution is to use liquid wallpapers made from cork or natural materials, which are even less common. There are several websites with detailed information on the subject, just to give a few examples: polyethylene and styrene wallpaper here, liquid wallpaper here and here, and cork here. It is also worth checking as many national and international websites as possible to make the best decision.
In addition to the "home" practices mentioned above, there are a number of concerns about traditional internal insulation, so we only briefly touched upon the topic. One of the main problems with internal insulation is that it significantly alters the thermal performance of the walls. It is therefore essential to undertake such work in consultation with a suitable professional and after carefulplanning. You can read here more about the process, the disadvantages and the advantages.
Steps requiring more investment
Insulation
Energy loss in buildings
As you can see in the picture above, proper insulation is essential in our efforts to reduce overheads, as a lot of heat escapes through extensive surfaces. Insulation is a topic that deserves a separate article, so we will only mention it in a nutshell here.
The roof, because of its position (heat is transferred upwards), plays a major role in heat loss in a building and should therefore be better insulated than the walls. This is the simplest of all retrofit insulations and can be done on your own. Here are some suggestions for getting started.
If the house has an unheated basement, it is also worth insulating the basement ceiling to prevent the cold floor from cooling the air downstairs and keeping the temperature there constant. If the basement is regularly used and therefore heated, it is advisable to insulate the floor and walls and keep the heat in.
Window insulation was briefly discussed earlier. If you have old, draughty windows, it is worth asking a professional to help you repair them. In most cases (especially with wooden windows), there is no need for replacement and the insulation of windows can be significantly improved at a much lower cost.
The insulation of the whole house or facade is a more complex and complicated task, for which expert help is essential.
In our next article, we will look at how to reduce the cost of producing hot water.
Emese Nyitrai
Clean Air Action Group volunteer
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Disclaimer: This document has been produced in the framework of the project “Towards a climate neutral EU: efficient allocation of EU funds” funded by the European Climate Initiative (EUKI). EUKI is a project financing instrument by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). The EUKI competition for project ideas is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. It is the overarching goal of the EUKI to foster climate cooperation within the European Union (EU) in order to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.
The opinions put forward in this document are the sole responsibility of Clean Air Action Group and do not necessarily reflect the views of BMWK or the other project partners.
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