Turn down radiators in rooms you’re not using
Make sure you control which rooms you heat, so you’re not wasting cash heating empty rooms. You can simply go round the house and turn down the radiators in the rooms you don’t want to heat. Smart Energy GB says you could save around £40 a year turning radiator valves down to the midway point, in rooms you don’t use.
Though do be aware that in some homes, colder rooms could lead to more condensation, which can increase the risk of mould. Also, be aware that fridges and freezers generally can’t function properly if room temperatures drop too low (typically below 10°C).
Thermostatic radiator valves are an extra control which you can use to set the temperature of each individual room (other than where your main thermostat is). When the temperature in that room rises above what’s set on the radiator valve, it will stop water flowing through that particular radiator – the boiler will still be on to heat other rooms, but it will use less energy.
Installing them and using them with your thermostat allows you to control the temperature room by room, and could save you £40 a year on energy bills, but there will of course be an initial cost for the valves, which cost about £10 plus installation costs.
Most thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) have a frost prevention setting – usually a snowflake symbol. So when the valve is fully turned off, it’ll still let a small amount of hot water through to prevent pipes from freezing. If your radiators don’t have TRVs, be careful not to turn them off completely, as this could result in burst pipes in very cold weather.
Some also say that painting your radiators black can help them heat rooms more efficiently, but as far as the Energy Saving Trust is concerned, this is a waste of time and money (and paint).
