Martin Lewis has urged UK households to adopt a 4:15pm curtain rule this week to keep vital heat in, as he warned of a potentially massive rise in energy prices in January.
Speaking on his ITV Money Show Live, the personal finance expert said there is a simple thing people can do to beat the low temperatures and soaring fuel prices. His advice comes after Money Saving Expert analysis suggested people face almost 30% energy price rises in January.
January Price Cap Warning
The UK energy price cap increased by 3.6% on October 1, bringing the average annual bill for a typical dual-fuel household paying by monthly Direct Debit to £1,723. Prices were predicted to rise by over 20% in January, but Lewis said today this is likely to massively under-estimate the impact.
He said: “The latest predictions for the January Price Cap - AWFUL, up 28.8%! This is our internal MSE document where we average three forecasts and how its changed over the past few weeks as wholesale rates have continued to rocket.”
Tactical Curtains and Radiator Tips
Making a change at sundown - currently 4:15pm in the UK - is vital, he said: ”You ask. Should I keep the curtains closed? When the sun is shining, that has radiating energy. Radiating energy coming in that heats your home. So, you want the curtains open. Soon as it gets dark, you’re shutting them because you want to trap that heat energy inside your house. That’s what tactical curtains means.”
“One really important thing, your curtains should be behind the radiator, not in front of the radiator. or then the radiators just heating the back of the curtains. We were talking earlier and something I’d never heard before. Richard, you’ve got an amazing tip on blinds.”
The expert explained to make sure Venetian blinds once closed point away from the window rather than towards it. It said it keeps the heat going inside.
Demon Appliances and Reflective Panels
Lewis has previously spoken of energy hungry appliances people should avoid using. He identified the tumble dryer as a device to be used cautiously owing to its hefty operating expense of £1 per cycle. He said: “Do you know what the real ‘demon appliance’ is in most people’s houses - the one that you don’t want to use because it’s really expensive.
“Tumble dryers. You’re typically paying up to a quid per load so dry your clothes on an airer outside, to shorten the amount of time you’re using your tumble dryer, or avoid using it completely. Those who have dehumidifiers can take some of the moisture out of the air. It’s less wattage than a tumble dryer, so it can be more cost-effective.”
Lewis recommended that homes consider fitting reflective panels behind radiators - bouncing warmth back into living spaces rather than letting it leak through exterior walls. He said: “A tip for you reflective panels behind radiators. Sheets of reflective material can be placed behind radiators. Crucially, this is on external wall radiators, so the heat doesn’t escape. If you don’t want to pay for those, then tin foil can work, although it doesn’t work quite as well.”
He said: “If you’ve got radiators in rooms that you’re not using, go and turn them off before you turn the heating on so you’re not wasting cash overheating empty spaces. Changing the flow rate on your boiler can cut gas bill by over 9% and you won’t notice the change.”
He explained: “Other general tips included: “Check your TV’s on a low energy setting too and walk around your house. Be a draft detector - what drafts can you spot as you walk around your house? And then try, if you can, to seal them up.”
