State pensioners who 'keep their heating on low all day' warned

State pensioners who 'keep their heating on low all day' warned

by · Birmingham Live

State pensioners who keep their heating on low "all day" have been warned. After losing the £300 Winter Fuel Payment, state pensioners are turning to new habits in a bid to save money on their £1,717 energy bills - as aligned with the Ofgem price cap.

Joshua Houston, energy savings expert at GreenMatch, warned: "There's a flawed belief that leaving the heating on at a low setting all day is more economical than turning it off and on. Rather than saving money, this method actually squanders energy and pushes up bills.

"Thanks to modern thermostat technology or smart home systems, today's heating setups can heat homes swiftly and it turns out it's typically less expensive to warm your house only as needed. By using a programmable thermostat to oversee your heating timetable, you could pocket savings of approximately £130 each year on your energy costs."

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He also warnd over believing smart meters can help to save energy. While smart meters don't directly conserve energy, they provide real-time data on energy usage, enabling households to identify periods of high consumption and adjust their habits accordingly.

Another myth is that painting radiators black boosts heat output. Contrary to the old wives' tale, painting your radiators black does not enhance their efficiency. The colour of your radiator has no impact on its heat output.

And the final myth he busted was setting the thermostat higher heats a room faster. This only causes your heating system to run longer, wasting energy. It's more efficient to set your thermostat to the desired temperature, typically around 18-21°C for most UK homes.

Joshua Houston, Energy Saving Expert at GreenMatch added: "Saving money on your energy bills is important, but it’s equally as crucial to not fall into the trap of believing misinformation. Me debunking these myths should save you a lot of time and effort which can be better used in other areas.