Where you place your thermostat could impact energy bills, expert warns

Energy bills will be increasing for the third consecutive time in April

Energy bills are set to see a spike soon as Ofgem announced its price cap is increasing for a third consecutive time.

From 1 April, the cost of energy for an average household will rise to £1,849, a 6.4 per cent increase from £1,738.

The announcement has left many households looking for ways to reduce their spending ahead of the April rise. Money experts like Martin Lewis have recommended looking for below-cap fixed deals that will likely save money across the year.

It’s also important that those eligible make sure they take advantage of schemes like the Warm Home Discount and Household Support Fund.

But something as simple as where you place your thermostat could be putting your household at risk of an unnecessarily elevated energy bill. This is because the location of the thermostat can affect how the heating system operates in your home.

Energy bills will be increasing by 6.4 per cent in April (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The issue has been highlighted by Ben Gallizzi, an energy specialist at Uswitch.com. He explains: “Deciding where to place your thermostat is important because it can affect how well your heating works.

“Placing it in a room that is colder than the rest of the house, such as a hallway, is a bad idea as it will turn on and off at the wrong times.

"For example, if you open the front door and let in cold air, then the thermostat may tell your heating system to send out more heat as it thinks the whole house is below your desired temperature," he adds.

And it also works the other way. Placing the thermostat next to a source of warmth like a radiator or window in direct sunlight can also “skew the readings” says Mr Gallizzi.

This can turn the heating off prematurely, before the entire area reaches the set temperature. While this might actually mean less money is spent on heating, those who need a warmer home might want to check they aren’t getting less than desired.

So where is a good place to put the thermostat? According to Mr Gallizzi, it is the room you use the most, such as the living room. He says this is because it’s where “it's easiest to control the temperature, and in an area of good airflow.”

One of the key things for households with a thermostat to consider is also the heat they set it to. The Energy Saving Trust recommends heating a home to between 18 and 21 degrees in the winter. However, turning down your thermostat by just one degree can lower energy bills by up to 10 per cent, meaning it is worth checking that you’ve picked the optimal heat setting.

For the latest cost of living and benefits advice, visit The Independent’s regularly updated guide