As the chill of autumn deepens and winter looms, households across the UK are bracing for the inevitable spike in energy costs. With thermostats being turned up to combat the cold, the financial pressure is mounting. However, a startlingly simple solution has emerged, promising to help Brits keep their energy spending in check.
The One-Second Money-Saving Trick
According to consumer champions at Which?, a task that takes barely a second to complete could have a substantial impact on your winter bills. The secret lies with a common feature in most British homes: the thermostatic radiator valve (TRV).
These dials, found on the side of radiators, are marked with numbers and a frost symbol. Many people assume that cranking the valve up to the highest setting of five will heat a room faster. While this is technically true, it's a habit that could be costing you dearly.
Why You Should 'Never' Set Your Valve to Five
In a video shared on TikTok, the experts explained the critical mistake. "Whacking your thermostatic radiator valve up to five opens the valve to the max, letting loads of hot water into the radiator when your central heating is on," they stated.
This is only beneficial in one specific scenario: the room where your main thermostat is located. In that case, a higher setting helps the thermostat gauge the overall house temperature accurately. For all other rooms, however, setting the valve to five forces your boiler to work excessively hard, heating rooms to an unnecessarily high temperature and sending your energy consumption—and bills—soaring.
The golden rule is to never set your TRV above three, unless it's in the room with your thermostat.
Optimising Your Radiator Settings Room-by-Room
To achieve maximum savings, homeowners are urged to conduct a quick audit of every radiator in their property. The goal is to set each valve according to the room's use and desired comfort level.
For bedrooms, the recommendation is to set the valve between two and three. This maintains a comfortable ambient temperature of approximately 15 to 20 degrees Celsius, perfect for a good night's sleep without wasteful overheating.
For rooms you use less frequently, or for periods when you are away, the valve has another crucial setting: the frost symbol. Turning the dial to this setting allows just enough hot water to circulate to prevent the room temperature from dropping below 7 degrees Celsius, thereby protecting your pipes from freezing without incurring significant heating costs.
This simple, one-second adjustment per radiator is a proactive step every UK household can take. In a time of high energy prices, taking control of your heating settings is a powerful way to slash your energy bills and manage your budget more effectively this winter.
