Tips to reduce gas consumption and save on heating costs

The average gas consumption per household is between 140 and 160 kilowatt hours (kWh) per m² per year. Heating in particular is particularly energy-intensive and therefore cost-intensive. What can I do to get through the winter cheaper? Turn off the heating and wrap up warm? There are better ways to save energy and heating costs:

Why save on heating costs at all?

In times when energy prices continue to rise, this question should not really arise at all. Perhaps you have already received your heating bill and would like to get off cheaper next winter. The best way to do this is to start with your own usage behavior. In addition, proper heating and ventilation not only saves money, but also makes a small contribution to climate protection.

According to the new climate protection law, Germany's greenhouse gas emissions are to be reduced by 88 percent by 2040. Germany is to become climate-neutral by 2045. This also has an impact on our heating behaviour. Building emissions account for one third of German greenhouse gases. The reform of the Climate Protection Act also provides for a reduction in building emissions from 118 million tonnes in 2020 to 67 million tonnes by 2030. To illustrate: In order to save 51 million tons of emissions, 1000 single-family homes would not be allowed to heat with gas for ten years. Fortunately, reducing emissions and saving heating costs are not mutually exclusive. Measures such as conscious heating and ventilation, modern heating systems and energy-efficient renovation make it possible.

Consciously saving heating costs is not only easy on the account, but also on the environment.

How to save on heating costs: 10 tips and tricks

The best way to reduce your heating costs is certainly to purchase a new, more efficient heating system. But this is not so easy, especially for tenants. Fortunately, there are other ways to reduce gas consumption:

Tip 1: Shock ventilation in winter

In winter, heating costs can be saved, especially through ventilation. Regular shock ventilation optimises the indoor climate, reduces the CO2 concentration indoors and prevents mould growth. In general, open the windows completely for five minutes, three to four times throughout the day. Turn down the heating thermostats. Tilting windows for long periods of time, on the other hand, is not recommended, as there is hardly any air exchange and rooms cool down.

Even shock ventilation and maintained heating systems help with economical heating.

Tip 2: Dust and bleed

It is often enough to regularly dust the radiators in your home from the inside to the outside – for good air circulation. For a panel radiator, it is best to use a radiator brush. Alternatively, you can simply open the cover and vacuum up the dust with a vacuum cleaner. By the way: If your heating system is gurgling, then it's time to bleed it. Regular bleeding of the heating system, especially at the beginning of the heating season (approx. 1 October), can reduce energy consumption by up to 15 percent.

Tip 3: Insulate windows

If there is a draught on the window, it is advisable to seal windows or replace them with insulated windows. Waterproofing tape or rubber seals are attached to window gaps and joints. Insulating foil is also suitable for reducing energy loss. If you want to save on heating costs, but live in an old building with poorly insulated windows, windows with thermal insulation glazing may be worth considering.

Tip 4: Use curtains and shutters

Close your shutters at night to insulate your windows. This allows you to save up to five percent energy. If you don't have shutters, you can use curtains to prevent heat loss. Make sure that curtains do not cover the radiator, otherwise heat spreads more poorly in the room. The same applies to furniture, which you should not place directly in front of the heater.

Tip 5: Improve thermal insulation

In old buildings that have not been renovated, there are still so-called radiator niches. Thinner walls in these niches lead to a loss of energy, as the heat can escape more easily to the outside. In addition, some of the radiator niches are located under window sills, which means that the heat cannot rise unhindered. This also requires more energy to get the apartment to a pleasant temperature. The remedy is to improve the insulation. To do this, the radiator is dismantled, the niche filled with insulation material and plastered. The radiator is then mounted in front of the newly plastered wall and thus moved forward. This is not an easy undertaking that requires the help of a specialist in case of doubt. However, the effort should be noticeable on the next heating bill at the latest.

Tip 6: Do not let rooms cool down

Rooms that you use regularly should not cool down in winter. Reheating a cooled room consumes more energy than heating rooms at a low level when not in use. 15 degrees should be the minimum temperature in all indoor spaces to prevent mold growth. What the optimal room temperature is depends on what temperature you feel comfortable at. We have compiled guideline values for an appropriate temperature for the various rooms in our article on heating and ventilation.

Tip 7: One degree makes a difference

One degree more or less can make up to six percent difference in energy consumption. Regulate room temperatures consciously and heat unused rooms only on the back burner. At night, it is worthwhile to reduce the temperature by lowering it at night and to raise it again before getting up. The same applies to heating curves, which lower temperatures when you are not at home. Especially in the heating season between December and February, you consume the most heat. Every degree counts here.

Tip 8: Heat with a fireplace

Saving heating costs is also possible with a fireplace. It is even more effective if the fireplace is connected to the central heating system and generates additional room heat via buffer tanks and hot water. In this case, it may be necessary to retrofit a chimney or stainless steel pipe for smoke evacuation. Get advice on sustainable stove and fireplace techniques. Modern fireplaces emit up to 80 percent less particulate matter.

Tip 9: Maintain the gas boiler

If you want to save on heating costs with gas, you should know the age of the gas boiler. As a guideline, the heating system should be replaced every 30 years. The annual maintenance of the gas boiler also ensures that it achieves optimum efficiency.

Tipp 10: Energieausweis prüfen

Welches Potential zum Energiesparen und zur energetischen Sanierung Gebäude bieten, verrät der Energieausweis. Lassen Sie sich vor dem Einzug bzw. vor dem Hauskauf den Energieausweis von Eigentümer*innen vorlegen, um sich über aktuelle Wärmedämmmaßnahmen und den Energieverbrauch des Gebäudes zu informieren.

Ein Blick auf den Energieausweis kann Sparpotentiale fürs Heizen verraten.

Wie berechne ich meinen Gasverbrauch?

Sie sind unsicher, wie hoch Ihr Gasverbrauch überhaupt ist? Ihren durchschnittlichen Gasverbrauch finden Sie in Ihrer letzten Gasrechnung. Alternativ können Sie diesen auch selbst berechnen. Hierfür benötigen Sie den Zählerstand in Kubikmeter (m³), den Brennwert und die Zustandszahl.

You can read the meter reading on the gas meter, which is usually located in the basement – in the viewing window with the rotating counter outside the red-bordered area up to the decimal place. The calorific value and condition number are usually noted in the gas bill. If you can't find it there, it's best to ask your gas supplier.

Formula for calculating your gas consumption

The gas consumption is always indicated on the meter in cubic meters. To convert this to kWh, you can use the following formula:

The calorific value indicates the quality of the gas and can be seen in your last invoice. You will also find the condition number on your statement. It names the ratio of the gas volume from the standard state to the operating state in your home by different temperature and different air pressure. Find out more in our article why gas is read in m³ and charged in kWh. Here is an example:

Formula for calculating gas consumption per m²

If you want to know how much gas you use per square metre of living space, you can simply divide your annual consumption by the size of your apartment or house (in m²) according to the bill.

Other ways to save on heating costs

Saving heating costs always means saving energy. Both can help to achieve the current climate protection goals and at the same time protect one's own bank account. In addition to our tips, a fair and reliable gas tariff will help you save on heating costs.