Money Saving Expert founder said people should take action to protect their homes better this winter
Money saving guru Martin Lewis has explained how people can used a cheap item to slash heating costs this winter. As the cold weather draws in this Autumn. people around the UK are considering putting their heating on.
One of the issues is radiators heating areas which do nothing to raise the temperature and escape outside quickly. Speaking previously on his BBC Podcast, Mr Lewis has said that people should consider using reflective panels behind radiators – to send the heat backing into the room rather than through the wall to outside.
He said: “A tip for you reflective panels behind radiators. Sheets of reflective material can be placed behind radiators. Crucially this is on external wall radiators so the heat doesn’t escape. If you don’t want to pay for those then tin foil can work although it doesn’t work quite as well.”
Currently a 4 metre long roll of the radiator heat reflector foil can be bought at Screwfix for £6.38 on offer at 15 per cent off. He shared other tips as well for radiators. He said: “If you’ve got radiators in rooms that you’re not using, go and turn them off before you turn the heating on so you’re not wasting cash overheating empty spaces.
“Changing the flow rate on your boiler can cut gas bill by over 9% and you won’t notice the change.” And Mr Lewis added that people should avoid using a ‘demon appliance’ as often as possible.
He said: “Do you know what the read ‘demon appliance’ is in most people’s houses – the one that you don’t want to use because it’s really expensive. Tumble dryers. You’re typically paying up to a quid per load so dry your clothes on an airer outside, to shorten the amount of time you’re using your tumble dryer, or avoid using it completely. Those who have de-humidifiers those can take some of the moisture out of it. It’s less wattage than a tumble dryer so it can be more cost effective.”
Other general tips included: “Check your TV’s on a low energy setting too and walk around your house. Be a draft detector – what drafts can you spot as you walk around your house? And then try, if you can, to seal them up.”
Speaking on his BBC Sounds podcast, 5 Live listener Rob had been noticing that his apartment has become damp since trying to dry his washing inside his home.
He asked: “If I was to buy a dehumidifier, would it be cheaper than using the heating to keep the place dry?”
Martin answered: “Dehumidifiers take water out of the air rather than use the heating and they’re much lower wattage appliances than standard heating. So if the dehumidifier works for you, it will definitely have lower electricity bills.”
