As temperatures plummet across the United Kingdom, households are seeking effective ways to stay warm without facing astronomical energy costs. Fortunately, several DIY experts and savvy social media users have shared ingenious methods to reduce heating expenses while maintaining comfort during the colder months.
Radiator Efficiency Tricks
Kyle Mattison, a 29-year-old property expert known on TikTok as ThatPropertyGuy, has gained significant attention for his practical energy-saving advice. His most notable suggestion involves using ordinary tin foil to improve radiator performance.
"Radiator reflector foil is one way to keep your house warm—it reflects radiator heat back into the room," Mattison explained in a viral video. He recommends installing it behind radiators, particularly those on external walls where heat loss is most significant.
While specialised reflector foil can be purchased from DIY stores, Mattison confirms that standard tin foil provides comparable results at a fraction of the cost. Additionally, he emphasises the importance of bleeding radiators regularly to maintain peak efficiency and ensuring furniture like sofas maintain adequate distance from radiators to allow proper heat circulation.
Boiler Settings Adjustments
Another substantial saving opportunity lies in optimising your boiler settings. An anonymous parent on Mumsnet revealed that adjusting flow temperature settings could lead to noticeable reductions in energy consumption.
According to the tip shared by the mother, many combi boilers come with default settings that waste energy. She recommends lowering the flow temperature to 50°C for hot water and 55°C for heating, contrasting with the typical default setting of 80°C. "Mine was set to 80 degrees by default which meant I was spending huge amounts on heating up water that then has to be cooled down with cold water," she detailed.
While this adjustment might slightly increase heating time, energy specialists confirm that the gas and CO2 savings make the change worthwhile. For households with a boiler and hot water cylinder, experts recommend setting the flow temperature slightly above 60°C for heating and 60°C for the hot water cylinder.
Lynne Beattie, who operates the Mrs Mummypenny money blog, achieved an £80 annual saving by simply reducing her thermostat from 21°C to 20°C. This minor adjustment could potentially save around 10% on heating bills without creating noticeable discomfort. The ideal thermostat temperature range falls between 18°C and 21°C.
Smart Shopping Strategies
Beyond heating adjustments, consumers can achieve significant savings through smarter grocery shopping. Maneet Kaur, who shares content as @minsmeals on social media, discovered that many supermarket own-brand products originate from the same suppliers as their premium counterparts.
Through her research into supermarket supply chains, Kaur found identical supplier codes on differently priced items, suggesting identical origins. She demonstrated this by comparing a 53p packet of Tesco penne pasta with a 29p Hearty Food Co alternative—both showing matching supplier codes despite the price difference.
"Buying branded is not always the best option and we need to be more conscious about the tricks supermarkets use," Kaur advised. She notes that premium brands typically occupy eye-level shelf positions, while more affordable alternatives are often placed higher or lower.
Energy-Efficient Cooking Methods
Miguel Barclay, renowned for his £1 meal recipes, emphasises the importance of maximising oven use. "If you're going to turn the oven on for just one thing, cook two or three things at the same time," he recommends to The Mirror. This approach significantly reduces energy consumption by minimising oven usage frequency.
Barclay suggests planning meals that can be cooked simultaneously and consumed cold later, such as preparing quiches, pies, and pasties in a single oven session. However, he cautions against applying this principle to kettle usage, noting that heating only the required amount of water for tea proves more economical than boiling excess.
Laundry Efficiency Improvements
Adjusting washing machine settings represents another area for potential savings. Lowering wash temperatures to 30°C can reduce energy consumption by approximately 40% compared to higher temperature cycles. Shorter wash cycles also contribute to reduced energy and water usage.
For tumble dryer users, an anonymous blogger on makemoneywithoutajob.com shared a clever towel trick. Adding a dry towel to wet laundry in the tumble dryer absorbs moisture and reduces drying time. "The towel will absorb moisture in your washing and help it dry faster—reducing the amount of time you need to run your dryer and saving you cash!" she explained.
While some debate exists about whether to remove the towel after 15-30 minutes, the blogger confirmed that she achieves reduced drying times without this extra step.
Additional Winter Warmth Tips
Several supplementary strategies can further enhance winter comfort while controlling costs. Mattison recommends keeping blinds and curtains closed to prevent heat escape and suggests leaving the oven door slightly ajar after cooking to allow residual heat to warm the kitchen.
For those drying laundry indoors, using a dehumidifier in the room containing wet clothes can accelerate drying times, though this approach requires initial investment in the equipment.
As winter intensifies across the UK, implementing these straightforward adjustments could result in substantial savings while ensuring households remain comfortably warm during the coldest months.
