15 Ways to Heat Your Home for Less in Ireland

Content Manager

Cormac is Selectra.ie's energy expert along with being the chief content and editorial manager for the website. His aim is to help find the best deal for you and your home energy needs so that you save money on your annual bills. His knowledge and experience of the Irish energy market allows him to offer the best advice and insight into current prices, emerging trends and overall energy saving tips.

Updated on 06/11/2025

min reading

The cost of energy is a significant concern for households across Ireland, particularly during the colder months. Ensuring your home remains warm without incurring excessive expense requires a combination of smart habits, system optimisation, and targeted home improvements. This comprehensive guide outlines 15 ways to cheaply heat a house in Ireland, focusing on practical and cost-effective measures to reduce your energy consumption and maximise the efficiency of your heating.

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Optimising Your Existing Heating System

Making small, calculated adjustments to your current heating setup can yield substantial long-term savings.

1. Master Your Thermostat and Controls

One of the simplest yet most effective ways to save is by carefully managing your heating controls.

Turn Down the Thermostat: Reducing your main thermostat by just 1 °C can cut your heating bill by up to 10%, according to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). Aim for a comfortable room temperature between 20°C and 21°C for main living areas, and slightly lower for hallways and bedrooms.
Use Timers and Zones: Only heat your home when you need it. Utilise your boiler's timer to pre-heat your home an hour before you wake up and switch it off 30 minutes before you leave or go to bed. If you have zoned heating, only heat the rooms you are actively using, keeping the doors to unheated areas closed.

2. Service Your Boiler Annually

An inefficient boiler can dramatically increase your fuel usage.

Ensure your gas or oil boiler is serviced annually by a Registered Gas Installer (RGI) or a qualified oil technician. A well-maintained, modern condensing boiler runs more efficiently, potentially saving you up to 10-15% on heating costs.

3. Bleed and Adjust Radiators

An overlooked maintenance task that directly impacts heat distribution.

Bleed Radiators: If your radiator is cold at the top and warm at the bottom, trapped air is preventing it from heating efficiently. Bleed the radiator using a radiator key to release the air, ensuring it heats evenly and effectively.
Adjust Thermostatic Radiator Valves (TRVs): Use TRVs to control the temperature in individual rooms. Turn them down in rooms that are rarely used, preventing the waste of heat.

4. Harness Solar Gain

Use natural, free heat from the sun to warm your home.

Open Curtains: During the day, open curtains and blinds on sun-facing windows to allow natural solar gain to heat your rooms.
Close at Dusk: As soon as the sun goes down, close all curtains and blinds. This creates an extra layer of insulation, trapping the heat gained during the day and preventing it from escaping through the cold glass.

Improving Home Insulation and Airflow

Heat loss through the building fabric is a major source of wasted energy. Addressing this can provide the greatest long-term savings.

5. Prioritise Loft and Cavity Wall Insulation

SEAI reports that up to 30% of heat can be lost through the roof.

Check Insulation Depth: Ensure your attic has adequate insulation (typically 300mm). This is one of the most cost-effective upgrades with a fast payback period.
Cavity Walls: If your home doesn't have insulated cavity walls, having them pumped with insulation is a highly effective way to prevent heat loss through the walls.

6. Eliminate Draughts

Draughts are a significant source of heat loss, often costing more than you might think.

Seal Gaps: Use simple, low-cost draught-proofing strips, weather-stripping, or caulk to seal gaps around windows and doors.
Fireplace Blocker: If you have an unused fireplace, a chimney balloon or heavy-duty draught excluder can prevent warm air from rising up the flue. Important: Never block a chimney that is in use.

7. Insulate Hot Water Supply

Keep the heat in your hot water cylinder and pipes.

Lagging Jacket: Ensure your hot water cylinder has a high-quality, insulated lagging jacket. This will keep the water hotter for longer, reducing the need to reheat it.
Pipe Insulation: Insulate all accessible hot water pipes with foam tubing to minimise heat loss between the cylinder and your taps or radiators.

8. Use Curtains and Blinds Strategically

Heavy or thermal-lined curtains act as excellent secondary insulation.

Thermal Curtains: Invest in thermal-lined curtains for windows, especially single-glazed ones. They can significantly reduce heat loss at night.
Avoid Covering Radiators: Ensure curtains are not draped over radiators, as this directs the heat behind the curtain and towards the window, wasting energy.

Smart Habits and Appliances

Changing your daily routine and leveraging small, low-cost purchases can contribute to overall efficiency.

9. Utilise Low-Cost Personal Heating Aids

Targeting heat to where you are physically located can be cheaper than heating the whole house.

Electric Blankets/Throws: These are very energy-efficient devices that warm the user directly, allowing you to turn down the central heating in the evening.
Hot Water Bottles: An old-school but effective method for warming a bed or keeping a localized area warm.

10. Mind Your Furniture Placement

Your furniture can unintentionally block heat circulation.

Move Radiators: Ensure bulky furniture like sofas or wardrobes are not placed directly in front of radiators. This blocks the heat from circulating into the room.
Internal Walls: Position your seating arrangements against internal walls rather than external walls, as external walls tend to be colder.

11. Cook Cleverly for Heat

Your kitchen appliances can offer a temporary heating boost.

Use Residual Heat: After using your oven, leave the door ajar (once safe to do so and while supervising children/pets) to let the residual heat warm the kitchen and adjacent areas.
Batch Cooking: Cooking multiple meals at once maximises the use of oven heat and reduces the overall energy consumption of repeated heating.

12. Reflect Heat from Radiators

A simple, low-cost DIY fix.

Place reflective radiator foil behind radiators mounted on external walls. This reflects the heat back into the room, rather than allowing the wall to absorb it and let it escape outside.

Long-Term Efficiency Upgrades

While requiring an initial investment, these upgrades offer the greatest long-term savings and are often supported by government grants (SEAI).

13. Consider a High-Efficiency Gas Boiler

For homes connected to the natural gas network, this remains one of the cheapest ways to heat a house in Ireland on a daily running cost basis, as gas is currently cheaper than electricity or oil per kilowatt-hour.

Replacing an old, inefficient boiler with a modern, A-rated gas condensing boiler can significantly reduce running costs.

14. Invest in Heat Pump Technology

While the installation cost is high, heat pumps offer the lowest long-term running costs when installed in a well-insulated home.

Air-to-water heat pumps extract heat from the outside air and are incredibly efficient, providing up to three to four units of heat for every one unit of electricity used. They are a core component of future low-carbon, low-cost heating.

15. Explore Government Grants

Reduce the financial barrier to insulation and heating system upgrades.

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) offers various grants, including the 'One Stop Shop' service, for deep retrofitting, as well as individual grants for attic and wall insulation, heating controls, and heat pump installation.

Researching and applying for these can significantly lower your upfront investment.

By implementing these 15 strategies, from simple behavioural changes to strategic home improvements, you can effectively manage and significantly reduce the cost of heating your home in Ireland, ensuring comfort without financial strain.

Learn More About Energy Saving Our energy guide articles contain lots of useful information on saving energy, lowering costs and how to have a more positive impact on the environment.

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By Cormac Breen

Content Manager