You probably have to spend some amount of money each fall and winter heating your home. DIY money-saving heating tips will show you how you can spend less this winter on your heating bills. Most of Europe sees significant energy use during the winter months, as the heating season is the longest in the year. From September to April, and sometimes longer, many European and U.K.residents must use some form of heating to keep their homes comfortable.

The cost of heating can quickly add up, and may end up costing you more than you would like to pay. Luckily, there are a variety of easy DIY steps you can take which will help you save money on heating costs this winter. Use these five simple DIY projects to save more than £200 each year.

This is a guest post by Liz Conaty.

You may also like to read: How to Draught-Proof Your Home and Protect Your Home in Cold Weather

DIY money-saving heating tips

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DIY Money-saving heating tips - 1: close closet/cupboard doors

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This seems simple and obvious, but it is surprising how many people don’t follow this simple rule when it comes to heating their homes. If your heating system has less surface area to heat, then your heating bills will go down. Just by closing closet doors each time you open them, you can save about £30 per year on heating costs. This tip only works for closets that do not have their own vent inside (which most closets do not have). You can also close the vents in unused rooms and close the doors to the unused rooms for even greater heating savings.

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DIY money-saving heating tips - 2: replace air filters

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Replacing your air filters is one simple way to save money on heating bills this winter. A single air filter costs less than £3, and can provide up to a £30 savings per year. Dirty air filters reduce the efficiency of your heating equipment, making it harder for the unit to warm your house. Replacing the filters opens the airflow in your home and maximizes the efficiency of the unit. Usually, it takes just a few minutes to switch out a dirty filter for a new one. You can also use reusable filters for greater long-term savings. Simply wash the filters ever one to three months.

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DIY money-saving heating tips - 3: insulate water pipes

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Water pipes can lose a significant amount of heat travelling from the water heater to the bathroom or kitchen. You can save money on heating energy by adding additional insulation to these pipes. Many hardware stores sell insulating pipe sleeves that are easy to slip over existing water pipes to provide additional insulation. Just adding this simple insulation to your pipes can help you save around £30 per year. Insulating all the water pipes in your house should cost less than £10.

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DIY money-saving heating tips - 4: run fans backwards

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Did you know that your ceiling fans have both summer and winter modes? Summer mode circulates the air in the room, while winter mode focuses the air from the top of the ceiling down to the ground. This is ideal for re-circulating warm air inside a room without using additional energy to make more heat through your home heating system. Switching your fans to winter mode can save up to £60 per year. Most fans have a small switch next to the motor that is easy to move from season to season.

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DIY money-saving heating tips - 5: install quilted/thermal curtains

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Windows are a large source of heat loss in any home. Cracks in windows and the poor insulating power of glass combines to lose a significant amount of heat from your home. You can prevent this loss by installing quilted curtains over your windows. You can make the curtains yourself, or purchase thick curtains from any curtain retailer. Using insulating curtains can save up to £60 per year on heating costs. Good quality double-glazing also works.

These simple DIY money-saving heating tips can save you hundreds of pounds each year on your heating costs without significant investment. For just a few dollars, you can save hundreds on the cost of heating your home from year to year.

This is a guest post by Liz Conaty, Liz is currently interested in conserving energy and alternative heating methods, Click here for more information.