Heating your home can be an expensive venture. On average, a whopping 85 per cent of a home heating bill is attributable to space heating, leaving the remaining 15 per cent to heating water. With such a large proportion allocated to heating the rooms in your house, this is one area where significant savings can be made on your energy bills.

It doesn't matter if your house is heated by gas or electricity; you can reduce the amount of money you spend on heating bills by insulating your home effectively. Poor insulation can cause up to 60 per cent of the heating to be lost in a home. The two principle areas of your home which require attention for insulation are the roof and walls. Up to 35 per cent of heat loss can occur through inferior wall insulations and 25 per cent of heat loss can occur through the roof.

As a result, one of the best ways you can save money on your gas bills is to ensure that your walls and roof are insulated properly. You'll get a natural insulation benefit if your home is a terraced house, snug between two other houses. The surrounding houses act like a protective blanket, trapping air warmed by your gas or electric boiler and stopping it from escaping. If you happen to live in a semi-detached or detached house, then you are much more likely to require insulation. However, even terraced houses will lose some heat through the walls which can be reduced with good quality insulation.

One of the other major sources of heat loss in homes is through windows. If your house isn't double-glazed, up to 20 per cent of your heating can be lost needlessly. Proper insulation on your home, through cavity wall insulation, loft insulation and double-glazed windows can save you up to £380 annually on your gas and electricity bill according to a British  <a onClick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/article_exit_link');" href="http://www.uswitch.com/gas-electricity/">Gas </a>average estimate.

Not only will you save money, you will also be helping to reduce carbon emissions by not requiring as much fossil fuel to heat your home, and hence releasing less carbon dioxide gas into the atmosphere. Insulating your home can also significantly improve the value of your property, as well as protecting walls and ceilings from condensation and damp. Finally, insulation will ultimately make your home a more pleasant place to live in, as it will be warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.

About the Author:

Olivia has 2 years experience writing articles about gas. She also enjoys writing on various other subjects