Can one degree really make that much of a difference?

In the past couple of weeks, many of us have reluctantly started turning our heating on for the autumn and winter season. With the prospect of many of us spending more time than at home than we usually would, could one degree warmer be costing you more than you think? Find out how lowering your central heating temperature by one degree could save you money on your annual home heating bills.  

The Facts:

Data from Uswitch.com suggests that two in three households in the U.K. are setting their heating at over 20°C, but just one degree lower could save them money and help us reach climate change targets. 2.7 million households are setting the temperature of their central heating system to a very toasty 25°C or more. This research goes on to suggest that by tweaking your central heating down by 1°C could result in a saving up to £80 a year on your heating costs. Collectively, if all the households who normally set their thermostats above 20°C made that change, it would be an overall saving of £1.4 billion.  

Generally speaking, it was younger people who prefer to be warmer with 21% of 18-24-year olds saying that 25°C or above was their preferred temperature, compared to just 3% of 55-year olds or older. Age UK recommends that older people keep the temperature in their homes around 21°C but not all heed this advice, with only around 60% of over 55’s saying that they set their room thermostat for their radiators to 20°C or more. If you want to ensure your home is energy efficient, here are some thing you can do.  

Reflect on your home heating usage:

Higher temperatures in the home are one of the biggest contributors to carbon emissions and higher energy bills. Although it is important to keep warm over the winter, especially as many of us may be staying inside more, it would be a good idea to think about the impact of your home heating usage. Are you heating empty rooms?  Have you left the heating on during the warmer parts of the day? Could an extra jumper or blanket be a more efficient and cheaper solution?  

Insulation:

Top tips include ensuring your loft insulation is in good order, insulate your hot water tank (if it isn't already) and ensure that you have double glazing and draught proofing installed to reduce heat loss and prevent cold air from entering the house. Some of these can be quite easy jobs to do yourself if you are good with DIY. If not, the construction industry is still working during this second lockdown. Could it be something to fix before it gets even colder?  

Install heating controls:

If your radiators have traditional valves, consider fitting thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs). These give you more control over the temperature settings of your radiators.  You can set a higher temperature set in rooms with higher occupation, such as living rooms.  You can then set a different temperature in rooms where you spend less time. Modern household gadgets such as the Google Nest Thermostat E or the Google Nest Learning Thermostat can also help reduce your heating bills by learning your patterns and movements and can adjust the heating accordingly.

If you are worried about paying your energy bills in this testing time, you can contact your energy supplier who will provide advice and support. You can also look to switch tariffs with your energy company, as this can be a quick and easy cost effective way to save money on your heating bills, so keep an eye on what deals you could be getting on comparison sites.  

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