Still bogged down with bills left over from the summer holidays and now worried about heating bills?

Read the following most frequently asked heating questions and you could save on your heating bills.


Q What is the best setting for the room thermostat?

A The room thermostat is the control on the wall usually found in your living room or hall. The room thermostat controls the temperature of the whole house, based on the position of the room thermostat. We recommend that you set it at 18 – 20oC or a bit higher (22 – 23oC) if you are not very well or have very young or old people living with you. If you have it set any higher than this your fuel bills will be higher than they need to be. You should not turn it down below 16oC otherwise you may become ill due to lack of heating.


Q What should I set the thermostats on the radiators to?

A The thermostats on the radiators (TRVs) control the temperature of the room that the radiator is in. We recommend that you start off by turning the thermostat to a middle setting (say ‘3’, or ‘III’). Then turn it up or down one notch until you find the right setting for your comfort. Residents often find the most comfortable setting to be maximum in the living room, a 1 or a 2 setting in the bedrooms, and a 2 or a 3 setting in the kitchen and hall.


Q Does the room thermostat effect the radiator thermostats in any way?

A Yes the room thermostat is overall boss. Therefore if you have the room thermostat set on 12oC, however high you set the TRV in the living room, the temperature in the living room will never get above 12oC.


Q I spend most of my time in the living room so have turned off the other radiators – is that right?

A No. It is best to heat all of your home, otherwise you may get condensation and mould problems. Also if you just use one radiator it is not good for the heating system and it could breakdown. Therefore we recommend that you set the TRVs in all the rooms to a 1 or 2 setting and the one in the living room to a higher setting.


Q Even when I turn them right up my radiators don’t stay hot all the time – what is wrong?

A Radiators should go hot and cold all the time – that means that your thermostats are working properly.

Useful contacts:

• If you are in receipt of benefits or are over 60 you may be entitled to a grant towards improving your heating system and other energy efficiency measures. Contact Warmfront on 0800 072 0150 (freephone).

• Contact your fuel supplier for details of special offers and grants available for energy efficiency measures. You may be eligible for a grant / discount even if you do not receive benefits.
  Contact your Local Energy Advice Centre on 0800 512012