A BILL expert has revealed how a little-known boiler trick could help you slash your energy bills.
During an appearance on This Morning, consumer journalist Alice Beer said that turning the maximum flow temperature down on your combi boiler could help you to save money on your energy bills.
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The ‘flow temperature’ is the temperature your boiler heats up the water to before sending it off to your radiators.
This means the boiler heats up the water – called “the flow” – and most households will have theirs set to the 80°C default temperature.
The trick works if you have a combi-boiler, which provides both hot water and heating – and its the most common type of model used by Brits.
It comes as families are feeling the crunch as the ongoing energy crisis has hiked energy bills to record-breaking levels.
Bill expert Alice said: “If you run a bath or you fill a bowl to wash up and you’re heating your water to a certain temperature, and then having to add cold, then think about how you’re wasting money there.
“Paying to heat up the water and then adding cold to it, it makes no sense.”
Alice added that the thermostatic control on water should be at about 55C for heating and hot water.
She said: “Try it at 55 and then if you can do it a little lower, you will notice the difference in your bills.”
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Reducing the temperature means your bolier is using less gas to heat the hot water, saving money on your bills.
Exactly how much you can save depends on the original temperature settings and what you change them too, as well as how much you use your hot water and heating.
Some experts suggest you could save £95 a year.
But, it’s important to bear in mind that if you have a hot water cylinder, you should keep the dial on 60C to stop the spread of germs and bacteria.
Legionella bacteria flourishes between 20-45 degrees, so it’s important to store water at a higher temperature.
If you have a combi boiler, you don’t need to worry, legionella only breeds in standing water and combis keep it flowing.
But if you have a hot water cylinder, you should keep the dial on 60 degrees or more.
How to change your flow settings
For those with a combi-boiler, you’ll most likely have two dials on it – one for heating, and one for hot water.
The heating dial will most likely have a radiator icon on it, while the hot water dial will probably have a tap on it, according to The Heating Hub.
Boiler settings vary from model to model, so it’s a good idea to check the manual to find out exactly how to set yours.
How else is my boiler costing money?
It’s not just your boiler’s flow settings that could be making your energy bills go up.
Ensure that when your boiler’s running that there’s no draught.
Ventilation is good for health and air quality but it’s the first place where heat will escape.
If there’s a draught, grab a draught excluder and plug the gap. You should also ensure your windows are closed before the sun sets.
It’s also worth closing your curtains before its gets dark as the heat will then stay inside your home.
Hot water is known to kill nasty germs but how hot do we need our water? Many of us waste heating our hot water to 60C before cooling it down again by mixing it with cold water.
At 60C hot water can cause serious scalding in under five seconds.
However, in order for hot water to kill nasty bacteria, the water needs to be above 75C and submerged in the water for over 30 seconds.
If you’re washing your dishes by hand, then you only need to loosen the grease and oil.
Another great way to ensure you save money is to turn off your boiler when you’re not using the water. Most boilers or thermostats have a setting to allow you to schedule when the heating turns on and off.
Consider what rooms in your home need heating. You won’t be using each one 24/7 so make sure the heating is off in any rooms that aren’t occupied.
If you spot rust on your boiler then it could mean you’re paying more than you need to on using your appliance.
Although rust itself does not cause issues, it could be a sign that there is a leak – which indicates there is a problem with your boiler.
It can also upset the temperature balance in your boiler, making it run less efficiently and ramping up costs.
There are also a list of other common boiler problems we’ve rounded up that could be pumping up your bills.
A noisy boiler could indicate that your water pressure is low or there’s a pump failure.
And frozen pipes could see your boiler pack in – something families should be aware of as the cold weather bites.
Meanwhile, we explain Prime Minister Liz Truss’ energy support package, and what a bill freeze means.
And we list how households will get their £400 energy bill rebate paid to them.
This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk
