With the days getting longer and the clocks soon set to change, many of us will be preparing to turn off the heating.
That switch off could also save you some money, as energy bills are set to rise again from April with the Ofgem Price Cap increasing by more than 6 per cent.
With energy costs remaining high and the price cap adding pressure to household budgets, many are searching for ways to reduce their heating bills.
One expert has revealed the best time to turn off your heating while offering practical tips to avoid costly property damage from switching it off too soon, and it’s this month.
According to Gordon Wallis, Renewable Heating Specialist at Your NRG, the optimal time to switch off your heating is when the clocks go forward and British Summer Time begins – this year falling on March 30.
This date, coupled with rising spring temperatures, strikes the perfect balance between comfort and cost savings.
Mr Wallis said: "With energy prices remaining a concern for many households, knowing when to turn off your heating can make a big difference to your bills.
"While the exact date may vary for each household, a sensible guideline is to consider switching off around the time the clocks go forward at the end of March.
"This transition to British Summer Time often signals the start of warmer days, reducing the need for central heating."
He also recommends a phased approach to turning off your heating, rather than making abrupt changes.
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He said: "Rather than turning your heating off all at once, I suggest gradually lowering your thermostat by 1°C each week as temperatures improve.
"Not only does this help ease the transition to warmer weather, but it can also reduce your heating costs by up to 10% for every degree lowered."
Energy bills set to soar in April
Millions of Brits will see their gas and electricity bills rise by more than £100 from April 1 in a ‘serious blow to households’.
The average energy bill for a dual-fuel home paying by direct debit will increase from £1,738-a-year to £1,849 from April 1.
This follows today’s higher-than-expected 6.4% increase in Ofgem’s energy price cap - meaning the average bill rises by £111 a year.
This will be no comfort to the millions of Brits already battling rising prices for everyday goods and services with UK inflation hitting a 10-month high of 3% last week.
Greg Marsh, CEO and co-founder of AI household money-saver Nous.co, said: “The third energy price hike in a row is a serious blow to households.
"A typical household will be paying more than £500 a year more than they were pre-COVID, and record numbers are in debt to their energy supplier.
"Ofgem and the Government need to do far more to encourage proper competition so that ordinary people can make decent savings by switching.”
Ofgem changes the price cap for households every three months, largely based on the cost of energy on wholesale markets.
The cap does not set the maximum a household will pay for their energy but limits the amount providers can charge them per unit of gas or electricity, so those who use more energy will pay more.
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