Martin Lewis has advised UK households to close their curtains as soon as it gets dark to trap heat inside their homes. The Money Saving Expert founder shared the tip during his ITV show, The Martin Lewis Money Show Live, on Tuesday (November 10), where he offered energy-saving advice ahead of a predicted rise in household energy prices of up to 24 per cent in January.
Why closing curtains helps
Speaking on the show, Lewis explained the reasoning behind the tactic. "When the sun is shining, that has radiating energy coming in that heats your home, so you want the curtains open. As 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," he advised.
He also highlighted a common mistake: "One really important thing, your curtains should be behind the radiator, not in front of the radiator, as then the radiator is just heating the back of the curtains."
Additional radiator tips
Lewis and his panel of industry experts answered questions from the ITV audience and viewers at home on maximising everyday energy efficiency. He shared further advice on radiators, including turning radiators down in unused rooms, bleeding radiators, fitting reflective foil behind them, installing a radiator shelf and moving large furniture away from radiators.
During the show, the consumer champion also addressed the debate over whether it is cheaper to leave heating on low all day or to switch it on only when needed.
