I’m a money-saving dad and slashed £250 a year from our energy bill with 30 second thermostat trick
A SAVVY dad has shared a simple trick for slashing energy bills that could help in the latest cold weather.
As temperatures tumble once again and snow covers parts of the UK, many of us will be reaching for the thermostat.
Increasing the temperature could push up energy bills though, and households may hesitate to turn the temperature up as they are worried about extra costs.
But you don’t have to go without necessary heating in the cold weather – a simple trick could help you save cash instead.
Father-of-three, Sef Nabi, who lives in Southend-on-Sea, told The Sun if you’re looking for a clever way to keep your home warm while keeping costs down, you may be better off actually moving your thermostat,
The 32-year old from Paragon Electrics and Maintenance said: “Originally, our thermostat was located on a wall in the ground floor hallway of our home.
“But this part of the property is always cooler than the rest of the house.”
“The family began to realise this was not a true reflection of the temperature of the rest of the house, as the front door was frequently open, letting cold air in.”
Sef added: “As a result of having the thermostat in the wrong place, the heating was never quite reaching the temperature we had set it to get to, and the house never felt warm.
“And, as the boiler was working harder and running for longer to try and raise the temperature, this was pushing up our energy bills.
“We were keen to find a way to heat our home without spending a fortune.”
Thermostats work by monitoring the average temperature of your home and sending a signal to your boiler.
When your desired temperature has been achieved, the thermostat switches the heating off.
In a bid to slash his bills, Sef decided to take action, and moved his thermostat to the upstairs hallway.
“Our thermostat is now on an interior wall, just outside the bedrooms,” said the money-saving electrician.
“Our heating system is able to reach our desired temperature, and the rooms are much warmer and more comfortable to be in.”
Making this small change to the location of the thermostat means the household’s heating system is working a lot more efficiently.
“The temperature at home is more consistent and we are heating our home more economically,” added Sef.
“I also no longer get complaints from my wife or children about parts of the house being cold.”
Many people think that a thermostat is “plugged in” in some way. But they are usually just attached to the wall like a picture on a hook.
That means you can move the device anywhere in your home in under 30 seconds.
How to use your thermostat efficiently
When deciding where to locate your thermostat, the key is to put it in a place where it can measure the temperature for the whole house, as opposed to a single room.
Crucially, you should avoid putting it in a bathroom as the temperature can fluctuate so much.
You should also not place it next to a window, or above an air vent or a radiator, as a constantly-changing temperature will confuse your thermostat.
As it won’t reach the comfortable set temperature, this could mean you end up wasting both energy and money.
Once you’ve chosen the best location within your home, the Energy Saving Trust recommends keeping your thermostat set to the ‘lowest comfortable temperature.’
For most people, this is between 18 and 21 degrees Celsius.
The EST adds that one of the easiest ways to save money on your bills is by turning your thermostat down by just one degree, as this could typically save you £145 a year.
In total, Sef estimates he has knocked around £250 a year off his bills from having moved his thermostat to the upstairs hallway, and by notching it down by one degree.
The family now aims to keep it at 18 degrees Celsius as much of the time as possible.
Sef has made it his mission to introduce a range of energy-saving measures at home to try and help with the cost-of-living crisis.
“I’ve made the switch to LED lights, and this has made a big difference to our bills,” he said.
“I’ve also installed motion-sensor lights in the hallway, as well as a motion-sensor in the bathroom.
“Previously, the children would always leave the lights on which meant that, in the middle of the night, the extractor fan would also be on for hours.
“Thanks to this simple little adjustment, you now walk in and out in silence.”
Another simple energy-saving tip which Sef recommends is adjusting the thermostatic valves on your individual radiators.
He said: “By doing this, you can ensure you are only heating rooms when you are actually using them.”
The average household can save up to £75 every year if they have thermostatic radiator valves fitted on all their radiators, according to British Gas.
Valves can be picked up for less than £4 and they’re easy to replace yourself if some of yours are not working.
Draught excluders are another easy way to keep a lid on bills, he adds.
You can pick these up for a couple of quid from high street shops or you could make one yourself with old clothes you already have for free.