The 2024/25 heating season is just around the corner. How to make heating less expensive?

• The 2024/25 heating season promises to be expensive, so it is worth acting early.
• Clean the radiators, bleed them, make sure the windows are airtight - these are simple steps that do not require large investments but can bring real savings.
• All this together can significantly reduce expenses, improve thermal comfort and give you a sense of control over your bills.

Inflation and rising raw material costs are making heating, gas, and electricity increasingly expensive. Furthermore, the protective shield on heating prices expired on July 1, 2025. A heating voucher approved by the Sejm (lower house of parliament) is intended to support Poles, but eligibility requires meeting certain criteria.

Heat losses in the building, unvented radiators, and leaky windows equal waste of money because more fuel or energy has to be used to achieve the desired temperature.

Therefore, the sooner you take care of the condition of the installation, radiators and that the house "keeps warm", the greater the chance of savings.

Below you will find practical steps – from simple to slightly more complex – that will significantly improve your heating efficiency.

1. Clean your radiators thoroughly - dust and dirt reduce heat transfer, making the radiator less efficient and consuming more energy.
2. Bleed radiators - removing accumulated air will ensure that the entire radiator surface heats evenly and the installation will become more economical.
3. Set your windows to winter mode and check your seals - tight windows retain heat in your home and reduce energy loss, which translates into lower heating bills.

If you live in a house or your apartment is not connected to the heating system, you have more options, but also more responsibility:

• Inspection of the boiler/furnace and heating system - check the technical condition, efficiency, possible leaks, efficiency of exchangers, efficiency of pumps, etc.
• Maintenance can be expensive, but compared to the cost of emergency repairs or higher bills, it's an investment that pays off.
• Check the condition of your building's insulation—roof, attic, walls, and foundations. These investments require more capital, but in the long run, they yield significant savings.
• Secure your fuel - if you use solid fuels (coal, wood, pellets) - buy it in advance when prices may be lower.

A few additional tips to maximize your savings:

• Invest in thermostatic radiator valves - they allow you to regulate the temperature in each room, without wasting heat where you don't need it.
• Use temperature programmers/controllers - e.g. lower the temperature at night or when no one is home - 1-2 degrees less is a noticeable difference in your bills.
• Take care of curtains and blinds - in the evening they can reduce heat loss through windows.
• Check your meters and contracts with heat or gas suppliers - sometimes it is worth renegotiating or changing your supplier if there are better tariffs.

The 2007 Regulation of the Minister of Economy defines the heating season as the period when weather conditions require heating, but it does not specify specific dates or temperatures. In practice, housing cooperatives and housing communities often turn on the heating when the outside temperature drops below approximately 10 degrees Celsius for three consecutive days.

The heating season typically runs from October to April, although exact dates vary depending on location, weather conditions and building management decisions.