A simple mistake could mean you have the heating on needlessly
An energy efficiency expert has shared how some simple changes to your home can help keep your heating bills down. The team at boiler installation group BOXT also warned against some common mistakes that could be needlessly adding to your energy costs.
You may be tempted to turn up the thermostat as the cold weather sets in, but you would do well to first check over the layout of your home. Lead engineer Adam Knight said: “Before reaching for the thermostat, give the heat you’re already paying for a chance to do its job. A sofa pushed against a radiator or curtains hanging over it can stop warmth circulating properly. Moving things around costs nothing and can make a room feel more comfortable.”
He also recommended checking for any draughts around windows and external doors, and to close your curtains when it gets dark. However, with your draught-proofing efforts, don’t be over-zealous and seal everything up. Mr Knight said: “Ventilation grilles, air bricks and boiler flues must stay clear.”
‘Warming the house for nobody’
He warned against a simple mistake that could mean you needlessly have the heating on. Mr Knight urged: “Check your heating schedule actually fits your day. If your routine has changed but your timer hasn’t, you could be warming the house for nobody.”
He also recommended using radiator valves so you use less heating in less-used rooms. Another common mistake is to max out the thermostat to try and warm up your house when you get home.
Mr Knight warned: “When you walk into a chilly house, it’s tempting to turn the thermostat right up. But it isn’t an accelerator. Setting it much higher won’t generally warm your home faster. It can simply keep the heating running until you’re warmer than you wanted to be.”
Common mistakes
He pointed to some other common errors with your heating settings:
- Leaving the heating on a manual override – “You change it for one cold evening and, a week later, it’s still ignoring your usual schedule”.
- Confusing radiator flow temperature with stored hot-water temperature – “Follow your system’s instructions rather than applying the same setting to every control.”
- Strange smart meter readings – “Don’t panic over an odd-looking cost on the in-home display without checking your supplier’s account. An outdated tariff on the display can produce a misleading estimate without the bill itself being wrong.”
- Using time-of-use tariff correctly – “Check the actual cheaper hours before setting appliance timers. ‘Overnight’ doesn’t automatically mean ‘cheaper’.”
