A heating expert has warned people in the UK about some common energy myths that he claims everyone should stop believing.
Millions of households are trying to slash their bills in order to cope with the cost of living crisis and soaring prices, so being more aware of the energy usage in your home is more important than ever.
But it can be hard to know which techniques actually work, and which ones are ineffective. To help people with this, the Express spoke with a heating expert to find out the most common heating myths in the UK.
Nigel Best, director of electrical training provider Electrician Courses 4U has shared his expertise on certain things that we should stop believing in order to keep bills down.
Five common heating myths
1. Electric heaters are more efficient than central heating
You might think that using an electric heater will cost less than putting the heating on, but doing this can add to your bills "considerably".
Nigel said: "For years many people have believed that plugging in a mobile electric heater is cheaper than using their heating. Although an electric heater will save you money on your heating costs, it will add on to your electricity costs considerably.
"Of course this is dependent on the model of electric heater that you have, to how much it would cost to use."
He also explained that they can be wasteful as they create noise as well as heat, which doesn't serve any purpose when trying to keep warm.
2. It's cheaper to keep the heating on low all day rather than using it only when needed
No matter what time of the day it is, having the heating on when you're not home is wasting money.
Commenting on this idea, Nigel said: "This is indeed false. All you are doing is keeping your heating on for a longer period of time. This ultimately means you are going to end up with a very expensive heating bill at the end of the month."
Instead, you should set your heating to only come on at specific times when you know you'll be home to reap the benefits, and you'll also save money.
3. Smart meters will save you money on energy bills
This is technically true, if they're used correctly. But their main purpose is to track usage by showing customers data in real time, so you can see what you're using and where to cut back.
They also send accurate meter readings to your supplier each month, meaning you're more likely to only pay for what you've used.
So in order for your smart meter to actively save you money, you also need to act by taking note of energy usage, cutting back, and switching off appliances - buying one alone won't save you money.
4. Fireplaces are a great way to heat a home
Although this sounds like it may be true, Nigel warned that wood burners aren't the most energy-efficient way to keep warm despite being used since human civilisation began.
He said: "Fireplaces that require a chimney can cause major heat loss in a home. That’s because cold air can get in via the top of the chimney and hot air can escape.
"This wouldn’t be so bad if you kept the fire going all day and night, but that is obviously impractical and expensive. The cost of firewood would also outweigh the cost of heating your home through a radiator."
5. Cranking the heating up high will heat your house quicker
Turning up the heat to the highest setting won't make any difference on how long it'll take to get warm.
Although this may be tempting after coming home from the freezing cold, Nigel warned that you could end up wasting money by doing this.
He said: "Your house will heat up at the same time whether your heating is at 20C or at 30C. You will actually end up wasting money as later in the night when the heating has been on for a while you may become too hot and at that point you’ve already used a lot more energy than you needed to."
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond. Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
