As the cold weather draws in we are all tempted to ramp up the heating, but cost ourselves dollops of money in the process.
Sadly, a lot of people fiddling with the dial are labouring under a false impression around some heating myths.
Poor energy use, in particular leaving heating and lights on for just four hours a week, is estimated to cost an average of £250 per home every year, according to 2017 energy use statistics by British Gas.
Malcolm Farrow from OFTEC, the UK trade association for oil heating, said: “With temperatures beginning to drop rapidly, the temptation is to crank up the heating to the highest setting.
“However, this can be a costly mistake to make at an already expensive time of year.”
In order to help you save money OFTEC have looked at - and dispelled - five heating myths to help you stay cold on spending and warm inside.
Myth one: Turning the thermostat up high will heat the house quicker.
When the weather outside gets really cold, you may be tempted to turn your thermostat up to a high temperature.
Don’t. Your house will warm up at the same speed, regardless of what you set your thermostat to.
Myth two: It’s cheaper to leave your heating running at a low temperature.
Some believe it is cheaper to leave your heating running constantly at a low level than turning it off and on.
Having your heating on when it’s not needed will cost you money.
OFTEC suggest turning it off when it’s not being used and to adjust your timers so it comes on only when you want it to.
Myth three: Turning down individual radiators will save you money.
Yes, it’s another myth!
If your thermostat is on, radiators will keep working until the room reaches the set temperature.
If you want to save money, turn off radiators in rooms you aren’t using.
However, OFTEC suggest keeping your main rooms heated as living in a cold house can be bad for your health.
Myth four: Your water needs to be constantly heated during the day or it’ll be cold.
If you have a well insulated water tank your water should stay warm for several hours.
Set your timers so the water is heated an hour or so before you need it at two or three different times of the day.
Myth five: Only have a technician look at your boiler if it’s not working correctly.
Wrong again!
OFTEC suggest you have your heating system serviced once a year to check it is working correctly and efficiently.
Annual check-ups will help avoid a costly repair bill during winter.
Make sure you use a GasSafe (for mains gas) or OFTEC (for oil) registered technician who will follow strict industry safety standards.
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