Rural householders and business owners should check their supplies of LPG before the cold weather sets in. That’s the call from UKLPG, the trade body for the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) industry, which is urging users of LPG to #getaheadforwinter.

Following a mild autumn, the sharp fall in temperatures this week has taken many people by surprise. For the 150,000 homes and businesses in the UK that currently use LPG for heat and hot water, it is important to maintain a full tank to prevent any disruptions over the winter months.

Rob Shuttleworth, chief executive officer of UKLPG said:

“While many LPG suppliers have sophisticated customer data systems which will automatically guarantee customers’ tanks are topped up for winter, those users who place their own manual orders should safeguard their supply for the cold conditions,“

“By planning ahead, home and business users can ensure they have enough heat for when the weather gets even colder, as well as minimising the impact of snow and ice disrupting deliveries. This applies to customers who use LPG cylinders as well, who should make sure they have enough spare capacity in the case of blocked roads preventing delivery.“

UKLPG has also compiled a list of top tips in preparation for the winter:

• Give your boiler an overhaul – make sure your boiler and any other gas appliances are serviced every year by a Gas Safe registered engineer. This ensures that they run at their most efficient.
• If your boiler is 15 years old or more it is probably time to replace it. Make sure you go for an energy efficient condensing boiler which could cut your heating bills significantly and now achieves running efficiencies of 90%.
• Loft insulation is a straightforward job, which you can probably do yourself in about half a day and will dramatically cut the heat lost from your home. And insulate your hot water tank by fitting it with a thick jacket – the thicker the better – this can reduce heat loss by up to 75%. Do you have thermostats on your radiators? This is another easy way to improve efficiency of your heating system and give you more control over room temperatures.
• Draughty external doors are responsible for 15% of heat loss in the home. Draught-proofing is a cheap and easy way to prevent heat loss. Hanging thick curtains over the door will also help to trap heat.
• A key way to reduce your heating bills is to make sure that your home is highly energy efficient. A Green Deal Assessment will identify the best steps to take, such as replacing your boiler or installing loft or wall insulation. Green Deal financing is also available to help cover the costs of the improvements.
• If you order LPG yourself, look at the tank level now and consider ordering from your supplier well before winter – going into winter with a full tank may be more cost effective, provides peace of mind and means that when it turns cold you needn’t worry about your energy supply.
• You may already be on automatic top up so your LPG supplier will take account of your needs and so you needn’t worry. But if you aren’t on this system with your supplier you may want to ask them if they can provide this service to you.

Once winter arrives:

• Use a programmer to set when the heating and hot water come on and go off based around your routine. By heating your home and hot water only when necessary, you’ll save energy and money.
• Lowering your thermostat setting by just 1°C could save you money, however ensure that a minimum temperature is maintained of 21 degrees in living rooms and 18 degrees in bedrooms.
• Bleed your radiators, releasing any air trapped in them. This will improve your heating efficiency instantly as hot water can flow into every part of the radiator, so it does a better job of warming your room.
• Close all the curtains as soon as it gets dark to prevent heat escaping through windows.

For more advice, follow @UKLPG on Twitter or use the hashtag #getaheadforwinter.