The cold and dark winter months not only bring miserable weather, they also drive up household energy costs thanks to spending more time indoors.
Running the heating is a necessary evil at this time of the year, but there are smart ways to reduce your energy bills and still keep your house warm during the chilly season. According to E.ON next, following a simple ‘one degree rule’ can give the average household £90 per year back on their energy bills. The major energy supplier is urging households to turn their thermostat down by just 1C as it can yield significant savings without massively altering the temperature of your home.
Rather than adjusting your thermostat every time you feel cold, energy experts instead recommend that you leave it set at a specific temperature all the time, as this avoids wasting energy and is an easy way to cut down on your heating costs.
The NHS says the ideal temperature to set your thermostat is at least 18C to stay healthy in winter and to protect against the cold, although the elderly may benefit from a slightly warmer setting.
But even if your heating is normally set higher at around 22C, simply lowering this by one degree will make a huge difference to your energy costs and it won’t massively reduce the warmth of your home.
Phil Gilbert, E.ON Next’s Director of Net Zero Delivery, said: “Set your thermostat at the lowest temperature that still feels comfortable, ideally somewhere between 18 and 21C.
“Turning your thermostat down by just one degree could save you 5% on your energy bills each year, which is approximately £90 on average for a typical home when going from 22 to 21C.”
Experts advise using a timer or programmer so you can control when your heating comes on and when it goes off, meaning you aren’t running it and racking up costs when you don’t need to.
It is generally advised that you set the central heating programme to come on around half an hour before you get up and to turn off around half an hour before you go to bed.
Energy experts at E.ON also recommend monitoring your energy usage with a smart meter so you can see how much you’re using in real time, helping you to take control of your energy habits and receive accurate, up-to-date bills.
Mr Gilbert added: “During the darker, colder months, energy use tends to increase, which can add extra financial pressure, but even small changes around the home can make a big difference.
“We want to help our customers stay in control of their energy use to lower costs and ease some of those worries.”
