HOUSEHOLDS across the country are feeling the squeeze of rising energy bills – but some might be accidentally causing theirs to go up.
Radiators are one of the most used items in our homes and with the chillier months kicking in we're all trying to use them more efficiently.
In last week's Autumn Statement the Chancellor announced that energy bills for the average household will rise to at least £3,000 from April 2023.
That's when the current £2,500 Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) will end.
It means that households will be trying to cut back as much as possible during the colder months when bills are typically higher.
Putting the heating on is one of the biggest drains on your energy bill anyway, but sometimes you're inadvertently doing things that can increase your bills.
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We've listed the easy-to-do mistakes that could send your energy use soaring.
Forgetting to bleed your radiator
Bleeding a radiator is a quick job that takes seconds to do, but many people can forget.
By bleeding them, you are removing trapped air that can create cold spots and stop your radiator working at its best.
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All you need is a radiator key and some old clothes or sheets to catch any water that comes out.
Never bleed a radiator when the boiler is on as you may risk scalding yourself.
Experts say bleeding your radiator at least once a year is a must, otherwise they won’t work in keeping your home warm, regardless of how long you keep your boiler on.
If it's your first time bleeding a radiator, there are plenty of free videos on YouTube to show you the ropes.
Accidentally blocking your radiator
Whacking the heating up to its highest won't do any good if your living room sofa, bed or other furniture is placed in front of your radiator.
If you furniture is covering the radiator, heat will not be able to spread most effectively.
Consider rejigging your room to allow the heat to cover all bases.
If you can't rejig your furniture, you should at least allow for breathing room by creating a gap between the radiator and obstruction.
Setting up your radiator and thermostat wrong
If you have your thermostat set to a high temperature but the closest radiator turned down or off, you could be wasting energy.
It means your boiler will be running for longer than it needs to but you won't actually be heating the room.
That's because radiator valves stop hot water from flowing into a radiator when a specific room temperature is met.
To ensure you're only heating as much gas as you need, put your thermostat into the room you plan on heating up the most and make sure it's only requesting central heating from your boiler when you need it.
Curtains hanging over the radiator
It's not just the sofa that could be rendering your radiator pointless.
If you have curtains hanging in front of your radiators, the heat is inevitably absorbed or trapped by them and any heat generated will be lost as windows are one of the main ways heat escapes your home.
You should tuck your curtains behind the radiator to encourage the heat outwards.
Not cleaning your radiator regularly
Dust in your radiator can make it less effective, so it is worth dusting your radiator as part of your cleaning schedule to keep your home warmer.
Keeping your radiator clean is a simple way to reduce your consumption.
We've got a handy guide on how best to clean yours here.
Heating all the rooms in the house
Heating up all the rooms in your house is a waste of energy.
You'll save money by just heating up the rooms you need.
Savvy saver Scott Dixon said he saves £683 a year just by heating up one room in his home.
"It’s important not to spend money heating spare rooms or other rooms not in use during the winter," Sunny said.
"So if you know a room isn’t going to be used then make sure you turn the radiator off and close the door to stop cold air circulating through the rest of the house."
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Meanwhile, we've rounded up all the help you can get this winter to help combat rising bills.
Also, these four energy saving tricks cost as little as 68p and could slash your bill by £142.
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