Make the most of your thermostat

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If you’ve got a thermostat in your house, setting it to the correct level can help to keep you warm, save money, and prevent damp, mould and condensation. Why not check it now to see what it is set at?

All it takes is setting the temperature to between 18°C and 21°C.

If you’re currently setting your heating higher than that, lowering it to the right temperature can mean significant cost-savings. According to the Energy Saving Trust, simply turning your thermostat down from 22°C to 21°C could save up to £100 per year*.

When you set your thermostat, the boiler will look to maintain this temperature in your home. When the temperature drops below your set temperature, it will come on.

But remember, turning the thermostat up higher does not mean that the room will heat up faster – it will only waste energy by overheating a room. The room will take the same amount of time to heat up whatever the set temperature.

Our Green Doctors have identified helpful impartial advice on what can really make a difference in reducing bills and saving energy.

Download our supporting home resources – our action plan, our meal and shopping planners, and our stickers – to help you make changes which stick.

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Turn it down, but not too far

illustration shows thermometer, water droplet and ice symbol.
Make The Most Of Your Thermostat — While there are energy and cost savings to be made by lowering the thermostat below 21°C – **it is important to not let the house get too cold.**

illustration shows radiator with tick, and water droplets with cross.
Make The Most Of Your Thermostat — If the building gets too cold, it **increases the chances of damp, mould and condensation.**

illustration shows thermostat turned down below 21 degrees Celsius
Make The Most Of Your Thermostat — **It’s also not true that central heating makes the air too dry.** Drier air is also preferable to damp air, as this can lead to mould and condensation.

Make a plan. Stay warm. Save energy.

Place one of our stickers on the thermostat as a reminder.
Get to know your central heating. Find the instructions and make sure you know how to programme it to stay warm and reduce wasted energy.

*Savings based on a typical three-bedroom semi-detached gas heated house, with an 88% efficient gas boiler and average gas tariff of 6.9p/kWh and electricity tariff of 27.4p/kWh. Emission savings include all scopes and greenhouse gases expressed as carbon dioxide equivalent. Correct as of October 2023.