Reducing the amount you spend on business overheads is the easiest way to increase your profits. One area that may be ripe for savings is your office heating costs. The winters in the UK appear to be getting harsher, and business owners are having to spend more money each year on fuel. Here are a few ideas for how you can lower your office heating costs.
Only Heat the Areas You Are Using
Heating parts of the building that are not being used is just a waste of money. For example, if you only use your meeting room once a week, there is no need to keep this area heated all the time. If you have changing room, you probably only need to have it warm at certain times of the day. It is a good idea to have a walk around the office to see if there are any areas that are being heated unnecessarily.
Make Use of a Programmable Thermostat
One of the great benefits of a programmable thermostat is you can arrange it so that your office is always warm when you need it to be. You can set it so that it is working just before you arrive in the office and so that it shuts off as you are leaving. Many businesses waste money on heating when there is nobody around to actually benefit from the warmth.
Consider Using Heating Oil
Heating oil can be a cost-effective fuel for an office – especially if you are using an efficient boiler. The other nice thing about oil is it burns hotter than other fuels, and this means it can heat up your premises faster. This fuel is also kinder to the environment because it burns clean – it also doesn’t contain any cancer-causing agents.
Put Your Thermostat at a Lower Temperature
It is common for offices to have a temperature above 20 degrees Celsius, but there really is no need to have it this high. There is no legal requirement for a minimum temperature in the workplace, but the HSE recommends at least 16 degrees Celsius. If you set your thermostat at 19 degrees Celsius, you can get a good balance between saving a bit of money and keeping your employees comfortable. This can also save you money in other ways because if people are too warm, they tend to be less productive.
Install Reflective Strips behind Radiators
If you put reflective strips behind your radiators, it reflects heat back into the room. Normally this heat would escape through the walls, so it means that you are going to be getting more warmth from your fuel. You can buy specially designed reflective strips, but if you want to save a bit of money, you could just try using tinfoil.
Open Your Office Blinds on Sunny Days
Even if it is cold outside, your office can still benefit from some free heat on sunny days. It is a good idea to open your blinds or curtains when the sun is out, and this natural light can also improve the mood of your employees – it’s like a tonic.
These are just some of the ways that you can lower your office heating costs. If you take these steps, you should begin saving money right away.
Sarah writes for CladdaghOil who supply heating oil in Ireland.