HEATING experts have revealed the best location to place a thermostat if you want to keep your bills low.
With energy bills still sky high many of us don’t have money to spare on unnecessarily heating our homes.
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Often the location of your thermostat can make a big difference in the cost of your bills.
Exactly where you place the tiny dial, which controls the temperature in your home, could cost you hundreds.
Ben Gallizzi, energy expert at Uswitch.com, said: “The placement of your thermostat will determine how effectively your heating works, and when it turns itself on and off.”
“The best place to put your thermostat is in or near the room you use the most, as this will make sure you’re getting the heat you want in the places you want it.”
Essentially you want the thermostat to fully understand the needs of the room you use the most.
More often this will be a living room, but for others, it may be a bedroom.
Ben warns there is one place you should never place a thermostat and that is in a hallway.
He said: “Placing a thermostat in a hallway can result in poor readings as the temperatures drop every time the front door opens.”
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“This can mean that the heating comes on because the hallway is cold, even though the rest of the house is already warm enough.”
This would be very unhelpful if you were during to keep your bills down.
Despite its size, a thermostat needs its own space so you should avoid placing it near certain objects.
Ben said: “Avoid placing the thermostat near objects that create heat, like radiators or ovens, as this will distort the readings.
“Make sure that you have a good airflow around the thermostat so it’s getting an up-to-date reading of the current room temperature.”
As always you want to make sure the rest of your central heating is fully functional otherwise your perfectly placed thermostat is going to waste.
Ben advises, “To save on your heating, consider turning radiator valves down in rooms you are not using.
“Ensure your heating is operating effectively by checking your home is draught-proof and that you aren’t losing heat through gaps around windows and doors.”
What should I do if I can’t move my thermostat?
Ideally, you want to get your thermostat as close as possible to the room you use the most.
Make sure to double-check if your thermostat is permanently wired into the wall.
Many non-smart thermostats are battery-operated and in this case, they are just screwed into place, so they can be easily moved.
It may be worth considering upgrading to a wireless thermostat as it will give you more control over your heating.
The cost of a new smart thermostat can range from £120 to £220, according to Checkatrade.
But this doesn’t factor in the thermostat’s installation cost, which is usually around £30 to £80 depending on how long it takes.
How can I keep warm without leaving the central heating on?
It’s better to have your heating on for a few hours in the evening and then set the timer so it comes on an hour before you plan to get up.
Another way to keep warm at night is to simply layer up and make sure you have a thick winter duvet.
Consider buying an electric blanket, they are another great way to keep warm and most cost around 3p an hour to run.
Turning one on about half an hour before you go to sleep will warm your bed up and it’s also much cheaper to run.
Get yourself a hot water bottle, they are always great for a cost-free way of keeping warm and they are perfect for snuggling up with in bed.
Alternatively, if you do want to have the central heating on in your bedroom, make sure you turn off the radiators in the rooms you’re not using to cut costs.
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