Experts at Which? say there is one sign that people could be wasting money this winter
There’s one unmistakable red flag that homes could be wasting money in the winter, which might be easily fixed through a simple change to one appliance. This comes as countless people battle with rising utility costs, and one particular habit is making things all the more expensive.
Specialists at Which?, the consumer champion, claim that there’s one crucial warning sign that households could be burning through hundreds of pounds attempting to heat their properties. In certain cases, a quick glance outside will help spot the problem happening inside homes.
Any property that has a combi, system, or gas boiler ought to have a flue coming from the building to safely get rid of excess combustion gases that could prove dangerous. When a heating system contains excessive gas, it typically floods out of the flue, which could give people a clue that they need to check on a boiler setting to prevent the extra gas – and the money spent on it going up in smoke.
A flue is a pipe commonly used to safely push out exhaust gases, smoke, and other combustion waste from burning materials out of a structure. It can generally be found sticking out through an exterior wall close to the boiler, usually at the rear of a property, though it may also be at the front or on the roof, reports the Mirror.
Property owners could immediately begin using their gas more efficiently and reduce their bills by changing the temperature on the boiler to boost its efficiency. Most people have this setting set too high and could be consuming more energy than necessary.
Studies conducted at the Salford Energy House revealed that reducing the heating flow temperature delivered gas consumption savings of up to 9% when lowering it from 80°C to 60°C. Savings reached up to 12% when the temperature was reduced from 80°C to 55°C.
The Salford Energy House Boiler Flow Temperature Report’s test property found that decreasing the flow temperature on their combination boiler to 60°C, 55°C and 50°C from 80°C did not alter the room temperature from the target 21°C on the thermostat once the space had warmed to that temperature.
EDF explains that reduced flow temperatures create a more efficient combination boiler. “One that uses less gas to heat your home to the same temperature, saving you money and reducing your carbon footprint,” the energy firm states.
In a recent Instagram post, a Which? spokesperson said: “Most people have [their boiler] set too high at 70 or 80°C. That’s the temperature of water as it leaves the boiler, heading out to your radiators. Turn it down to 60°C, if it doesn’t have numbers, then pointing the knob straight up usually does the trick.
“This isn’t the same as the temperature in the room, which you set with a thermostat. If you set it to 21, it will still reach 21 – it might just take a bit longer to get there.
“But, the lower flow temperature makes the boiler more efficient, spewing less wasted heat out of the flue. Of course, the right flow temperature for you will depend on your building. It’s best to fine-tune throughout the year. And, those with hot water tanks should avoid it altogether unless you get expert advice.”
Previously, Which? has warned that householders might also be wasting cash by having another setting in their homes wrong – this time on the radiators themselves. Throughout the colder months, cold temperatures and icy conditions have caused countless people to turn their radiators up to maximum in a bid to beat the freeze.
But, a specialist claimed that having the dial at one particular setting could help maintain a cosy home whilst cutting costs – and it’s not the highest level. The footage shared: “If you have every radiator set to five, your heating bills could be higher than they need to be.”
Instead, people were advised to cut that figure down in places like the bedroom to a comfortable level of either two or three. Having all radiators set to the maximum flow puts more pressure on the boiler, leading to steeper energy bills at the end of the month.
