The heating season puts a heavy burden on family budgets. The heating bills reach dizzying amounts, but the apartment is still cold. However, there is a simple and proven trick that will help you save a significant part of your heating costs. Just place one thing behind the radiator and the heat will stop escaping. This clever idea was already used by our grandmothers!

An ingenious solution for a few cents: This is how you keep the heat where it should be

The most common reason for high heating bills is heat leakage through walls and windows. The solution is surprisingly simple and affordable. To make homemade thermal insulation, you only need two basic materials – a piece of cardboard approximately the size of a radiator and aluminum foil. Carefully wrap the cardboard with foil so that the shiny side is facing out. Then place the thermal barrier prepared in this way behind the radiator. You can either attach it to the wall or simply lean it. The foil works like a mirror – it effectively reflects heat back into the room instead of escaping through the wall to the outside. Thanks to this, you will get more heat even at a lower heating intensity.

Beware of frequent heating errors

High heating costs may not be caused only by heat leakage. A common problem is an aerated system or malfunctions in the heating system. Therefore, it is crucial to check the entire installation regularly, ideally before the beginning and after the end of the heating season. Any malfunction must be dealt with immediately. You can recognize aerated radiators by the characteristic bubbling or uneven heating – the upper part remains cold. In this case, it is necessary to ventilate the radiators using the venting valve.

Correct interior layout saves money

For efficient heating, the correct arrangement of furniture and textiles in the room also plays a key role. Never cover radiators with heavy drapes, curtains or furniture – not even partially. Heat must flow freely into the space. Long curtains in front of the radiators act as a thermal barrier and prevent the natural flow of warm air. It is equally important to ventilate – instead of ventilating for a long time through half-open windows, ventilate briefly and intensively. Open the windows wide for 5-10 minutes.

Additional tips for maximum savings

Behind the radiators you can also place a purchased reflective film, which is specially designed for this purpose. Although it is more expensive than the home solution, it has a longer service life. Another option is to paint the wall behind the radiator with heat-reflective paint. Regular cleaning of radiators from dust, which acts as an insulator and reduces their efficiency, will also bring significant savings.

This is how you vent the radiator yourself. You don’t need to call a professional