Switching off radiators in rooms that are unused could be costing you more money just as Brits prepare for an uncertain financial winter.
That’s according to Ben Price, founder of Heatable, who told the Daily Express that turning off the heating in one room and up in another makes your boiler work harder, and could "drive up heating bills".
Mr Price said heaters and radiators in unused rooms should be left on, and that “not doing so will make your boiler have to work harder and burn more energy to reach the desired temperature of the radiators you have left on.
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“This is all due to the fact that while the radiators are less hot, they are still able to heat your home to the desired temperature. So, the thing to remember is if you are not using radiators in unused rooms, you still want to leave them on in order to allow water to continue to flow through them. Or, the other radiators and ultimately your boiler will have to work harder.”
“Turning off your heating in unused rooms by turning the radiator’s thermostatic radiator valve to zero or off can save you energy, but it could also cost you more money because ultimately they’re always directly related.”
Mr Price did explain, however, that if your boiler is an “old G-rated and non-condensing boiler”, which were typically sold before 2005, you will likely save money by turning off unused radiators.
He said you can check if you have a modern condensing boiler by seeing if there is a wipe pipe exiting from the boiler underneath. With a condensing boiler, instead of heat being "wasted and sent out by your flue pipe", it is "recycled back into your central heating system".
It means reducing the flow temperature is a more efficient way to save energy - either by increasing the surface area of your radiator or installing a modulating thermostat.
There are other myths to avoid, Jonathan Rolande, from House Buy Fast, explained. He said things such as painting your radiators black will do no good at all, and that it can be tempting to follow such advice that might not make a difference.
“Not all advice is good advice and I’ve become concerned in recent weeks about certain measures which are being promoted,” he said.
“Obvious steps like taking shorter showers, wearing an extra layer of clothing and turning down the heating a degree will save you money. But there are other measures being suggested which aren’t right for many householders.”
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