Little-known radiator hack that can save you £75 before Christmas

This radiator hack can save you lots of money - and help you out on the run up to the festive season.

Households across the UK are being urged to do one thing to their radiator to help save money on their energy bills - and with the price cap having risen just this month on October 1, now is a good time as any to start saving.

With the latest changes to the cap, energy bills are set to rise by £149 for a typical household for the remainder of 2024, but there’s a simple trick that could save Brits £75 by helping to regulate the gas usage needed to heat radiators - yet many don’t even know it exists.

It comes as a study by Salford University found that installing a Thermostatic Radiator Valve (TRV) could mean a saving of up to almost half (42%) on gas bills. The experts at Only Radiators explain the annual gas used for heating an average 2-3 bedroom home is around 11,500kWh, which equates to around £717.60 per year from October 1 2024. Because of this, installing a TRV can save you as much as £301.39 per year - or £75.34 for the remainder of 2024.

The heating expert at Only Radiators, Nancy Emery, explains: “All radiators have a valve, it controls the flow of water to your radiator and therefore the gas needed to heat the water. In all cases you can close the valve to effectively turn off your radiator when you don’t need it, but this runs the risk of burst pipes.

"Installing a TRV is one of the best and most energy efficient ways to control the heating in your home and avoids having to turn them off completely. A TRV has a series of settings, which is usually a 0, ✱ and then numbers from 1 - 5, and helps to modulate the air temperature across different rooms in your home."

These valves don't costs much and in fact, your radiator may already have one installed. Many people don't actually know how to use it though with the heating expert further explaining that often people wrongly assume the numbers refer to the temperature of the radiator, but actually they relate to the room temperature, ranging from 0 to 30°C.

So what do the TRV numbers actually mean when it comes to temperature?

TRV numbers equate to the following room temperatures:

• 0 = 0°C
• ✱ = 7°C
• 1 = 10°C
• 2 = 15°C
• 3 = 20°C
• 4 = 25°C
• 5 = 30°C

She says: “You will find or fit your TRV on the side of your radiator, and correct set-up enables you to maximise a single boiler and enjoy different heats across different rooms. The TRV is a valve that self-regulates, meaning it adjusts the flow of water into your radiator depending on the setting.

“In busier rooms like your lounge, for example, which are often heated more by your family’s movements, appliances and even the sun shining through the windows, the TRV can be set lower. Your TRV will restrict water flow as the right room temperature is reached, and you will avoid overheating. The same applies to smaller rooms that will heat up quicker. Then in less populated rooms like spare bedrooms or exterior communal areas, you can set the TRV even lower and avoid heating rooms not used as often by your family.

“Don’t make the mistake of installing a thermostatic radiator valve in your bathroom though, as the heat produced by your shower or bath will wreak havoc with the TRV’s thermostat. Instead of preventing the condensation that often hinders bathrooms, the TRV will shut off and do nothing.

“You probably don’t need to use the highest setting on your valve either, as this is asking for energy to heat the room to 30°C which is very warm, and will continue to do so if it drops below this at any point, so it’s not going to be efficient in that sense. Another consideration is to not fit thermostatic radiator valves in the same room as your principal thermostat. This unit connects directly to your boiler and so you will inadvertently create a competition between your TRV and central thermostat.

“When used correctly, TRVs are a no-brainer and have huge amounts of energy saving potential by avoiding overheating commonly caused by manual valves. Additionally, they help to prevent frost damage and mould meaning less expensive maintenance costs in the long run.”