It’s easy to turn the radiator up to the max in a bid to keep warm, but experts have warned against setting the dial to the highest number. Here’s what each setting means
Households have been warned against cranking their radiators beyond a specific setting or face soaring energy costs. With winter persisting and another chilly blast hitting the UK, countless homes will be firing up their central heating systems to stay cosy.
It’s natural to want to turn your radiators up to maximum to ward off the cold. Yet this isn’t necessarily the smartest approach for warming your space and could pile on unwanted expenses to your energy bills.
Industry specialists have cautioned people to reconsider before adjusting the number valve on their heating units.
A heating specialist from Which? advised: “Don’t have this dial higher than three, unless it’s the room where your thermostat is.”, reports the Express.
The expert revealed that cranking your radiator completely up to five fully opens the valve. This allows masses of heated water to flow through the radiator whilst the central heating operates.
Whilst this might work well for warming a space quickly, having every radiator in your property set to five could mean your heating costs are steeper than necessary, the specialist warned.
The expert continued: “In bedrooms, you should keep the dial between two and three. This will keep the room temperature between 15 and 20 degrees, which is comfortable and could save you money.”
Should you be planning an extended absence from home, it’s suggested you adjust the radiator to the frost symbol.
This ensures that when heating kicks in, just sufficient water enters the radiator to maintain the room above seven degrees. Adopting this approach will help stop pipes from freezing.
It’s also advised to learn how to bleed and clean your radiators. This will ensure they are operating efficiently and can again help reduce energy bills.
What each radiator setting means
On each radiator, you’ll notice numbers zero to five on the valve. Each setting can roughly correspond to a temperature, so understanding this can help you determine the best setting for your home.
0 – radiator is offFrost icon – 7C1 – 10C2 – 15C3 – 20C4 – 25C5 – 30C