Everybody is looking for ways to save energy and money especially as fuel prices rise, autumn and winter months beckon and the temperature starts to drop. One simple change highlighted by money saving charities Nesta and Which? shows that households could knock a whopping £112 a year.
The organisations have launched a campaign with energy firms EDF, E.ON Next and Octopus with the aim of trying to offer advice that will reduce the cost of energy bills. Boiler flow temperature, which is different to thermostat temperature, is one of the money saving tips highlighted.
Nesta says people with combi gas boilers should have it set to a “flow temperature” of 60C or below, to use the gas in the most efficient way possible. However, many boilers run hotter than that - which uses more gas as heat is lost from the pipes in your home.
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While the majority of people have lowered their thermostat, ONS data shows only 1 in 10 lowered their boiler flow temperature in the last year. The Mirror reported that the boiler flow temperature is generally controlled by a dial or buttons on the front of the boiler - you can see exactly what to do by visiting moneysavingboilerchallenge.com.
Be aware that households who run their boiler at a lower temperature will need to leave the heating on for longer to heat up their homes - around 15 minutes, Nesta said. But research for the charity found despite this, lowering the flow temperature from 80C to 60C can save 9% of total gas use, or £112 for an average home.
Nesta, which was a public body until 2012, claimed if 10million households with combi boilers reset their flow temperature to 60C, it would cut £1bn from energy bills and save 1.7million tonnes of carbon. It would also save the Treasury around £500million - because gas bills, which are being subsidised by the government until 2024, would be lower.
Madeleine Gabriel, director of Sustainable Future at Nesta, said the £112 was bigger than most better-known energy saving tips. She said: “While the Energy Price Guarantee is helping millions to avoid financial ruin from high energy bills, the actual amount people pay still depends on their energy use. So it is important that anyone needing to keep costs as low as possible this winter feels confident taking action.
“Many people are already doing as much as they can to save money on energy bills. But there are hidden tricks that people can take themselves that don’t affect their comfort.”
Two thirds of people (67%) polled by the charity’s Behavioural Insights Team said they will wear warm clothes instead of turning on the heating in their homes this winter. Some 57% said they would keep the heating on for fewer hours, 46% said they would lower the thermostat and 12% will put foil or reflectors behind radiators.
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