Why is our heating bill double last year's?

A retail manager asked us this last January. Their energy costs had skyrocketed, but nothing had changed in their building... or so they thought. We did a quick walk-through and found:

Every radiator had trapped air (10% efficiency loss). The boiler hadn't been serviced in 2 years (running at 70% efficiency). The loading bay seal was completely torn (literally heating the car park). Three fixable problems. Thousands wasted on heating outdoor air.

Most businesses don't realise these issues exist until they see the bill. By then, they've already paid for months of wasted energy.

What we did: Bled all radiators (20 minutes, immediate improvement). Serviced the boiler properly (restored full efficiency). Replaced the loading bay seal (stopped heat pouring outside)

The result? Their heating bills dropped by 40% the following month, saving them money for the rest of winter.

The lesson? Small maintenance issues create massive energy waste. A £300 maintenance visit prevented thousands in unnecessary costs. If your energy bills seem high but you can't figure out why, it's worth having a proper assessment. Most problems are simple fixes if you know what to look for.

Here are the 3 things we check in every commercial property before winter:

1. Radiator Air Bleeding. Simple test: Touch the top and bottom of your radiators. Is the top colder than the bottom? You've got trapped air making your boiler work overtime. Bleed them. Takes 10 minutes per radiator.

2. Boiler Service (Book NOW, not January) A well-maintained boiler runs 15-25% more efficiently than one that's been ignored. Plus, you avoid the January emergency call-out surge pricing when everyone's boiler dies at once.

Most commercial boilers need servicing annually. When was your last service?

3. Door and Loading Bay Seals: Walk around your building. Check every door seal, especially:

• Fire exits (used constantly, wear out fast)

• Main entrances (high traffic = high wear)

• Loading bays (massive heat loss if seals are gone)

We've seen small gaps around doors account for 20%+ of total heat loss. A £200 fix that saves £1,000+ every winter.

The pattern we see every year:

• October: "We'll sort it later"

• November: "It's not that cold yet"

• December: "Oh no, the heating bill..."

• January: "Emergency! The boiler's dead!"

  
  

The businesses with manageable energy bills? They dealt with this in autumn.

If you manage a retail store, office, church, or commercial building in the UK, Ireland, or Spain and want someone to check these before winter properly hits, that's literally what we do.

Preventive maintenance isn't an expense. It's protection against waste. A £300 heating assessment could save you thousands. What's your energy bill telling you?

#EnergyEfficiency #CostSavings #BusinessTips #HeatingMaintenance #SmartProperty