With energy bills still a concern for many households, it’s important to make changes in order to keep bills low.
According to a heating expert, a small change could help save hundreds of pounds a year.
Nancy Emery, heating expert at Only Radiators, said: “With temperatures relatively mild for December, sitting still in the teens in some areas of the UK, we could actually benefit from turning down the thermostat by one degree.
“Doing this small change will not impact your level of comfort but could result in saving hundreds of pounds over the course of a year.”
Finding that temperature sweet spot doesn’t have to be hard either, with the NHS suggesting areas of the home you use the most should be at least 18C.
This includes areas such as the bedroom and living room, which typically get the most use.
The expert continued: “Evidence suggests that 18C is the most appropriate threshold, particularly for the fit and healthy.
“But it’s important to consider the members of your household and their individual needs when finding the optimum temperature.
“Ageing can affect our ability to regulate temperature and make us more susceptible to the cold.”
When the weather does drop, which is likely will towards the end of December, Nany advised on how to heat the home.
She said: “When it’s freezing outside, many of us are guilty of turning up the dial on the thermostat as a way to get things as quickly as possible, but it just doesn’t work that way.
“Your home needs a while for the heat to collect so it’s important to be patient and let the central heating do its job.
“A thermostat will hear your home at a steady rate, and many factors can contribute to this, such as the age of the boiler, how old your house is, the insulation you have and the outside air temperature.”
According to the pro, turning it up won’t hurry things along, but it’ll just mean your home will overheat, wasting energy and adding to bills.
On average, an extra 10 percent on your heating bill every year for each degree increase.
Nancy noted: “During cold snaps, the best thing you can do is to maintain your thermostat at a regular temperature, switching it on only when you need it or on a timer to help keep costs down and your home comfortable.”
