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Turning down the heating is probably the most recommended way to save energy. However, we don't want to feel cold in certain situations, which might keep us from lowering the thermostat.
Using a hot water bottle in those situations makes us stay warm after all and cuts the heating bills. We elaborate on those situations and how you can use a hot water bottle optimally to keep warm.
Hot water bottle efficiency
Of course, you can use hot water bottles all day long. But that is not efficient. Not for your cosy feeling and also not for the energy bill. That is because it would lay around unused some of the time or it gets cold during a moment when you cannot refill it.
So while it might sound strange to optimize the use of hot water bottles it will make you save money and still feel warm. The trick is to find a balance between the energy use of boiling water and using heating.
As you probably don't have that much time to think this through, we share our experience and tips with you so you can also benefit from this.
In which situations does a hot water bottle substitute the heating?
It comes down to 5 situations in which a hot water bottle substitutes the heating and helps to cut energy costs. How did we come up with those 5 situations?
We looked at our daily routine and identified times at which we really don't want to feel cold or don't have time to wait for the room to heat up again.
We also listened closely to our colleagues and friends if they experienced the same. So you could say that we did a decent job researching.
1. After taking a shower
Why
Getting out of the shower and knowing you will stand in the cold might keep you from taking it in the first place. The reassurance that a warm towel will come right off the heating might convince you. But if you turned down the heating to save energy, you are at square zero again.
How
If you set the kettle and make a hot water bottle before you hop into the shower you can wrap your towel around the hot water bottle. Like this, you still have the cosy feeling of being hugged by a warm towel without turning up the heating.
While you are wrapped in the warm towel you can put the hot water bottle on the clothes you are about to wear. In the evening a warm pyjama is the best thing ever and in the morning putting on warm socks before going out into the winter feels good too.
2. Coming home from work
Why
One reason why it might be hard to turn down the heating is that if you don't have a smart home, you will sit in the cold waiting for the heating to warm up the room again. Especially in combination with going to work, this issue is with solving.
That is because we go to work most days of the week and we would use a lot less energy if we turned down the heating when we are not home. But coming home to the cold is not pleasant and this might keep us from (manually) adjusting the temperature to our work schedule.
How
This issue is solved though with a hot water bottle. The moment you get home you can fill the kettle and boil water. In the meantime, you hang your coat and change your shoes. When you get back to the kitchen the water will be hot and you can fill the hot water bottle.
Not for a single second did you feel cold and yet you saved energy. Now it is easy to turn down the temperature when you leave and still feel warm when you get home.
3. Home office
Why
If you are not going to work at the office/on location every day the tip above is less relevant. What you need is a solution to stay warm when sitting all day. Compared to a weekend day where you also might be at home you probably sit a lot more during a home office day.
Assuming that you cannot wrap yourself into a blanket for 8 hours you need a more simple and flexible solution. The hot water bottle is your friend here because it keeps your hands free and you can get up or change seating positions easily.
How
Use a cover to keep the hot water bottle warm for longer and regularly warm your wrists and chest. Keeping those body areas warm is beneficial because there the veins are close to the surface. Like this, you will stay warm for longer without the need to refill the hot ware bottle every 60 minutes.
4. Watching TV
Why
Talking about sitting, when you want to watch TV before going to bed you are also not moving a lot and your body might cool down too much when the heating is on energy-saving mode.
How
Compared to the home office situation you can perfectly wrap yourself in a blanket but of course, it is even cosier when you add a hot water bottle to that. Since you can also use a blanket you can save energy by using only a small hot water bottle with a sleeve.
That of course only saves energy if you indeed put less water into the kettle. Otherwise, you are wasting energy.
5. Going to bed at night
Why
Turning down the heating at night is a common way to lower the heating bills. It is argued that we sleep better if the room temperature is around 18°C (64.4°F). And yet you hear many people complain that it is too cold to lay in bed with this temperature.
How
Use your hot water bottle to help you warm up your bed before going to sleep. Make it part of your routine to boil water in your kettle while you brush your teeth for example. Like this, you and your hot water bottle will be ready for bed at the same time.
You will fall asleep in a warm blanket, sleep at optimal room temperature, stay warm, save on heating bills and wake up fresh in the morning.
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