Martin Lewis warns households not to make simple thermostat error that can add hundreds to bill

Money Guru, Martin Lewis, has warned against making an error this winter that could add hundreds to heating bills.

The MoneySavingExpert website founder is regularly advising the British public on ways they can save money. With the cost-of-living crisis and fears surrounding an increase in heating bill costs, he has warned against one simple error.

Lewis insisted this error was both ‘unnecessary’ and ‘costly’

Speaking to an audience member on ITV’s Martin Lewis Money Show, he explained why it was a big no-no, turning the thermostat up by one degree in the winter months.

“A thermostat says: 'We will keep it at a set temperature.' Why are you turning it up in winter? That’s what the thermostat does,” Lewis said.

“If you want it to be 20 degrees it will stay at 20 degrees and that’s the right temperature for you.

“You don’t turn your thermostats up in winter, you just let it get to the heat. That’s all you need to do."

Lewis also insisted those with a combi boiler to check the flow temperature as it should be set at 60 degrees, despite many of them being programmed to be higher than this.

He explained a higher setting was inefficient, and by turning it down you can still heat your home, just as well while saving some money.

Andrew Matthews-Pool/Getty Images

A combi boiler is a type of boiler that provides both hot water and central heating in the same system. The advantages mean it can be smaller, more efficient and provide hot water on demand.

“You normally want it to be around 60° but most people’s boilers are set higher – that’s really inefficient. You can turn this down, it won’t affect the heat in your house, and it’ll still be the same temperature," he said.

“It won’t affect your hot water temperature – it might take slightly longer to get up to the maximum temperature.

“But it can cut £100 a year off your bill and is well worth everyone doing. This is an absolute no-brainer and everyone with a combi boiler should be trying this.”

ITV

As we all look at ways to save money this winter, the money guru has insisted some of the best ways are the simplest ways.

“Having the heating on only when you need it is, in the long run, the best way to save energy, and therefore money,” he said according to an Oxford Mail report.

"The key thing to understand here is that it's all about the total amount of energy required to heat your home."