Insulating tanks and radiators

If you’re trying to save money on your heating bills and reduce your energy consumption, radiator reflector panels are an attractive low-cost option.

Fixed behind your radiators, they reflect heat from the radiator back into the room, instead of letting the heat out through an external wall. They can produce the most benefit when installed on uninsulated solid walls.

Remember, you only need to put reflector panels behind radiators on external walls.

Lagging water tanks reduces the amount of heat lost through the tank, so you spend less money heating water up, and hot water stays hotter for longer.

A hot water cylinder jacket costs about £20, and fitting it is a straightforward job if you follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Insulating your hot water cylinder is one of the easiest ways to save energy and, therefore, money.

If you already have a jacket fitted around your tank, check the thickness. It should be at least 80mm thick; if it isn’t, consider buying a new one.

Topping up your hot water tank insulation from 25mm to 80mm thick, using a British Standard jacket, could save you around £45 (£45 in NI) a year, which is more than the cost of the jacket.