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1. Using the thermostat and timer could water the boiler sends to the radiators.
save you about £150
Most of the energy we use at home goes on A higher temperature will heat your home
heating. Turning the thermostat down by just faster, but it could also mean bigger bills.
one degree could save about £150 annually. Combi boilers tend to capture and recycle
heat less efficiently at higher temperatures
You can also use your boiler’s timer - if it has
one - to ensure your heating switches off - meaning it requires more gas to heat your
when the house is empty. home.
If you have a conventional boiler, such as a
While it might be tempting to reduce your
heating to save money, the government system with a hot water tank, you could try
recommends a room temperature of at least setting it to 65C. It’s important not to set it
18C. Older people and those who are ill or any lower as it could create a health risk -
disabled may need it to be warmer. legionella bacteria could develop in the water.
If your house is too cold it could encourage If you want to consider adjusting the flow
damp - which can lead to mould. People temperature, the Energy Saving Trust has
living with mould are more likely to suffer from more information and the Nesta charity has a
respiratory illnesses, infections, allergies or guide to walk you through the process.
asthma. If you rent your home you might want to check
How this saving is worked out: Experts with your landlord before making changes.
at Cambridge Architectural Research (CAR) How this saving is worked out: CAR
found that turning the thermostat down from modelled the potential savings from reducing
19C to 18C would save 13% on an average the temperature of combi boilers from 75C
annual gas bill - that was worth about £157 to 60C, in 2022. It found this would save 8%
in winter 2022. CAR suggests 68% of on an average annual gas bill - about £97 in
homes could benefit. Its findings are based winter 2022. CAR suggests 38% of homes in
on estimated energy use in 12,300 homes the UK could save money with this measure.
questioned by the English Housing Survey
in 2012. The Energy Saving Trust previously 3. Installing a water-efficient showerhead
estimated a saving of £145 a year, if or having showers in four minutes could
temperatures were reduced from 22C to 21C save you about £90
in main living areas. There are a couple of ways to save money
when you shower. Firstly, cutting the length of
2. Reducing your combi boiler flow your shower from about seven minutes to four
temperature to 60C could save you about could save about £84 a year.
£100
If you have a combi boiler, try reducing the Secondly, you could consider buying a water-
flow temperature for the water heating your efficient showerhead - available from about
home to 60C. This is the temperature of the
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