Why it matters
As the nights draw in and the heating goes on, most of us reach for the thermostat without a second thought. But turning it down by just one degree, say from 21 to 20, is barely noticeable to your body, wrapped in jumpers and blankets as winter sets in, yet it makes a real difference to how much energy your home uses. Heating accounts for the biggest share of most UK households’ energy bills over winter, and a huge amount of that gas or electricity goes toward heat that quietly escapes through walls, windows and roofs rather than keeping you warm.
The benefits
According to the Energy Saving Trust, turning your thermostat down by one degree can save around 10 percent on your energy bill. In cash terms that works out to roughly £80 to £145 a year for a typical household, depending on your home and how you heat it. Multiply that across thousands of homes and it adds up to a meaningful drop in the UK’s winter energy demand, at exactly the time of year when the grid is under the most pressure.
Less demand means less reliance on the climate damaging gas power stations that get switched on when the country is coldest. One thing worth keeping in mind, the Energy Saving Trust recommends keeping your home between 18 and 21 degrees, so do not turn things down further if it means you or anyone in your home is not warm enough, staying safe and healthy always comes first.
Why insulation matters too
Turning the thermostat down helps, but it goes even further if your home is not losing heat in the first place. A poorly insulated home can lose a huge amount of warmth through the loft and walls alone. A simple and FREE way to improve the insulation of your home is to speak to Draught Busters. They are a free volunteer run service which survey your property and then help fix draughts for free!
