PEOPLE are only just realising that moving their thermostats in their homes could slash their energy bills.
With energy bills skyrocketing at the moment, households are looking for ways they can save.
Facebook users have been posting online asking for advice on how best to heat their homes without spending a fortune.
One man posted on an energy saving group: “I live in a new build house with the thermostat in hall way.
“Currently thermostat cannot get above 17.2 and it’s set at 18 so basically the boiler has been running continuously since 7am this morning.
“Wish to heat the house in the most economical way possible and advice appreciated!”
His post was met with dozens comments from savvy savers who urged him to move his thermostat.
One person said: “Is your thermostat hard wired or wireless? If wireless move it to somewhere else in the house.”
Another said: “Take the thermostat (presuming it to be Hive type) with you into the room you occupy at the time.”
Meanwhile, on the Energy Saving Tips group, another man said: “Move your thermostat to the room that you live in most (bedroom or living room) and when that room reaches the desired temperature your boiler will switch off.
“We have ours in our living room and upstairs one in our wee ones bedroom and its definitely reduced our gas usage!”
Essentially, you shouldn’t have the thermostat in the coldest room in your house as it will trick you into paying more to heat up the other rooms that might not need it.
If you position it in the wrong room of your house it could be adding hundreds to your bills.
Toby Peacock owns Down to Earth Electrical, and has worked in the industry for nine years.
Toby said: “Moving thermostats in the house can help – they are sometimes situated in cold rooms or hallways next to open doors and can spike the heating.
“They should be installed or placed in the most habited areas in the house.”
So, if your thermostat is somewhere chillier, your heating system will be trying to warm the area to a higher temp than is needed even though there’s no one there.
The solution for some is simple: if it’s battery operated, you can unscrew it and pop it in the ideal room like your living room.
But, if you have a wired thermostat, it could be a costly and awkward job to move it.
Investing in a wireless thermostat that you’ll be able to position as you please could be a worthwhile investment as it will give you more control over your heating.
Where should I put my thermostat?
Placing your thermostat in the bathroom, a room that has such an inconsistent temperature, could throw off its readings.
That’s because the temperature it’s sensing will jump from hot to cold as showers are run and baths are drawn.
The same goes for placing the thermostat by a window.
Just as a window can cause energy to trickle out your home as cool air comes in, the cold of a window ledge could affect your thermostat too.
But at the other end of the scale, direct sunlight on your thermostat could trick it into thinking that the house is too hot.
You should aim for the thermostat reading to be as accurate as possible, so it can work efficiently and you’re not wasting energy.
You should have it in your most used room, according to Toby.
This should also be somewhere you’ll want to feel the heat most, like the living room or main bedroom.
How else can I use my heating more efficiently?
There are more tricks you can do to try and keep energy bill costs down.
To start, one easy thing you can do is change the setting on your thermostat.
Energy experts have revealed the exact temperature to set it at so that you can save cash and keep warm throughout the winter.
When it comes to your thermostat, the Energy Saving Trust recommends you should set it to the “lowest comfortable temperature”.
For the majority of us, this is between 18 and 21 degrees Celsius.
Just by turning down the temp by a single degree you could save as much as £100 a year.
Draught excluders can save you around £30 a year the Energy Saving Trust has previously said.
We’ve spotted them on sale at Amazon for £7.99 before, but of course you should always shop around for better offers.
And you don’t even have to buy one – you can make them for free by filling a large piece of fabric with old clothes or rice.
Switching off so-called “vampire devices”, which drain energy when left on standby or used inefficiently, could save you on your bills as well.
Tips like closing your curtains in the evening also do wonders.
So when temperatures naturally drop, you should draw them to keep the heat in, and then open them in the morning when the sun comes out.
And always think about how much money you’re spending on household appliances.
Here are 30 ways to cut your energy bill now.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]
