The exact temperature to set your thermostat to stay warm and keep costs down – and three other switches to cut bills
SETTING your thermostat correctly over winter can help you save money in the long term but most of us set ours too high.
When temperatures drop the first thing we tend to do is run straight to our thermostats.
But with the price of energy bills for the average home standing at £1,928 a year, you’ll want to do everything you can to cut costs.
Uswitch previously found that the temperature inside a fifth of UK homes is hotter than Lanzarote over winter, and more than a million properties are heated to 25°C or more – hotter than Sydney.
Every degree you increase the temperature of your thermostat is estimated to hike your heating bill by about 10%, so it can make a big difference.
However, it is important to get the balance right.
Set it too low and there is a risk of your home getting damp and it has a negative effect on your health.
The Energy Saving Trust recommends that your thermostat should be set to the lowest comfortable temperature, which for most is between 18°C and 21°C.
The World Health Organisation suggests most healthy people should heat their homes to 18°C.”
Of course, there are exceptions, and those suffering from ill health might get more relief with higher temperatures.
But there is still plenty of support available to cover extra costs.
The Energy Saving Trust also says that you don’t need to turn your thermostat up when it is colder outside.
It may take a little longer on colder days, so you might want to set your heating to come on earlier in the winter.
How else can I cut my heating bills?
If you turn your boiler’s flow temperature down as well as any thermostatic radiator valves in some rooms – you could save around £180 annually on your energy bills.
Topping up loft insulation and switching to a smart meter can bring a household a further £230 worth of annual savings, according to Nesta.
It is also important to ensure that when your boiler’s running there’s no draught.
Ventilation is good for health and air quality but it’s the first place where heat will escape.
If there’s a draught, grab a draught excluder and plug the gap.
You should also ensure your windows are closed before the sun sets.
Consider what rooms in your home need heating.
You won’t be using each one 24/7 so make sure the radiators are switched off in any rooms that aren’t occupied.
What do the numbers on my radiator mean?
THERMOSTATIC radiator valves (TRVs) work by controlling the flow of hot water inside a radiator.
These energy-saving gadgets work by detecting the temperature of a room and then controlling how much hot water is let into the radiator.
TRVs have numbers printed on them, which roughly correspond to the room temperatures shown above.
So if the room is colder than the number it’s positioned to, the TRV will sense this and allow more hot water into the radiator to heat up the room quickly.
As the room gets warmer, the TRV will restrict the amount of hot water coming into the radiator to maintain the temperature of the room.
And as the room temperature starts to drop, the TRV senses the temperature and will allow more hot water in again, repeating the process.
The average household can save up to £75 every year if they have thermostatic radiator valves fitted on all their radiators, according to British Gas.
Experts recommended that households should set their TRV to 2 or 3 in the average room.
If you don’t need to heat a room, set your radiator TRV on the lowest setting.
This will give the devices frost protection and will allow hot water to briefly pass through but only if the temperature drops below 7°C.
What other help is available?
From cold weather payments to energy bill grants worth up to £1,500 that can help clear customer debts – here are several ways you can get energy bill help.
A number of energy firms offer grants to customers struggling to pay their bills.
But what you are entitled to varies depending on who your provider is.
British Gas offers grants worth up to £1,500 while households with Scottish Power can get up to £750.
Meanwhile, those with Octopus Energy can claim up to £500 via the firm’s Octo Assist Fund.
Ask your supplier what’s on offer and how to apply.
Local councils are giving out free cash to help families struggling with bills and other essential costs through the Household Support Fund.
How much you can get depends on where you live.
Local councils also offer welfare assistance schemes all year round that can help you with bills.
Millions of households on benefits, including Universal Credit, have also started to receive a £299 cost of living payment directly into their bank accounts between now and February 22.
Those eligible for the tax-free payment won’t have to do anything as payments are issued automatically.
Other households can get £150 off their electricity bill for winter 2023 to 2024 through the Warm Home Discount scheme.
The money is not paid to you but is a one-off discount applied to your electricity bill between October and March every year.
Cold weather payments are also dished out when temperatures are recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees or below, on average, for seven consecutive days.