Martin Lewis’s verdict on keeping heating on as temperatures plummet

Homes across the UK have been battling with the freezing temperatures that have hit the nation this week. With that, Brits have been finding multiple ways to keep warm instead of turning up the heating and causing bills to surge.

The cold chill is expected to continue, and with warnings still in place for Storm Bert, our usage of energy is bound to soar.

The Met Office’s long-range forecast for November 29 to December 8 states: “Probably a quieter interlude to start this period for much of the UK as high pressure builds with a return of night frosts. The high is likely to migrate eastwards however, potentially allowing some outbreaks of rain to move into some western and northwestern areas along with some stronger winds.

“Whether these conditions edge east into other parts of the country is uncertain, but eastern areas especially may well stay drier and colder through the weekend.

“Into December, and while signals are mixed it looks most likely that high pressure may re-assert itself close to or over the UK, with temperatures generally near average, but some overnight frost is likely, and rather cold by day where any fog persists.”

But fortunately, Money Saving Expert’s Martin Lewis shared some energy-saving tips on ITV’s This Morning. He said: “They say it’s better to only put heating on when you need it. You pay to pump energy in as and when is needed, and to keep pumping it in constantly isn’t efficient.

“Using a timer’s best, because your thermostat is designed to turn your heating on and off to keep your home at the temperature you set it at. So in general I’d stick with it.”

With all the myths out there about how much it really costs to keep our homes warm, he also mentioned: “There are some engineers who argue that keeping the heating on low with all the radiators on and boiler down can work as it reduces condensation.”

However, he also shared a warning about what can happen when the heating is switched off. According to the Liverpool Echo, the expert said: “When the heating is turned off, it collects within the walls and can help conduct heat outside the home.”

Martin Lewis further explained how that can lead to energy use to spike, adding that it “means you lose heat more quickly and will use more energy as a result. So if your house is prone to that, you may want to think about.”

On his website, MoneySavingExpert.com, it advises that “leaving the heating on all day leads to greater heat loss and means higher cost” and therefore it is better to “pump heat into your home when you need it; don’t pay to keep it pumping when you don’t,” by using a timer to use thermostats effectively.