Which?, the UK's not-for-profit consumer champion, has told homeowners exactly what setting their radiator dials should be on to reduce energy bills. The guidance, shared in a video on its TikTok channel, centres on adjusting the dial settings on every radiator throughout the home.
The Which? expert clarified that each numbered setting on the dial corresponds to a specific room temperature. Keeping the dial at one particular setting could help maintain a comfortable home environment while reducing expenditure.
What number should radiators be kept on?
The expert advised: "Don't have this dial higher than three. Unless it's the room where your thermostat is. Whacking your thermostatic radiator valve up to five opens the valve to the max, letting loads of hot water into the radiator when your heating is on. That's great when it's a room you want to heat quickly, like the living room, especially if that's where your main thermostat is. But if you have every radiator set to five, your heating bills could be higher than they need to be."
The expert recommended that bedroom radiators should be kept between settings two and three to sustain temperatures between 15 and 20 degrees, while living rooms could make use of higher settings.
Bedroom settings and frost protection
The expert continued: "In bedrooms you should keep the dial between two and three. This will keep the room temp between 15 and 20 degrees, which is comfortable and could save you money."
The specialist also offered advice on stopping pipes from freezing during periods where homeowners are out of the house. She clarified: "If you're going away for a while, set it to the frost sign. When your heating is on this will allow just enough water into the radiator to keep the room above 7C so your pipes don't freeze."
