Martin Lewis tells all UK homeowners to do one factor at 4.15pm at the moment
Personal finance expert urged people to follow a simple rule to reduce heating bills
Using your curtains wisely can make a big difference for the heat in your home, Martin Lewis said(Image: ITV)
Martin Lewis has urged households across Britain to adopt a 4:15pm rule this week to retain crucial warmth. Speaking on his ITV Money Show Live, the money-saving guru explained there’s a straightforward measure people can take to combat plummeting temperatures and spiralling energy costs.
The finance expert recently delivered grim news, revealing Money Saving Expert analysis indicates households are facing nearly 30% energy price hikes come January. The UK energy price cap rose by 3.6% (rounded to 4%) on October 1, pushing the average annual bill for a typical dual-fuel household paying by monthly Direct Debit to £1,723.
Prices were forecast to climb by over 20% in January – but Mr Lewis stated this is likely to significantly underestimate the actual impact.
He said: “The latest predictions for the January Price Cap – AWFUL, up 28.8%! This is our internal MSE document where we average three forecasts and how its changed over the past few weeks as wholesale rates have continued to rocket.”
Households need to be implementing all sorts of small adjustments to cut costs. And making an alteration at dusk – currently 4.15pm in Britain is crucial, he explained: “You ask. Should I keep the curtains closed? When the sun is shining, that has radiating energy. Radiating energy coming in that heats your home. So, you want the curtains open. Soon as it gets dark, you’re shutting them because you want to trap that heat energy inside your house. That’s what tactical curtains means.”
In the UK today’s sunset is at 4.15pm – meaning that’s when to take action.
He added: “One really important thing, your curtains should be behind the radiator, not in front of the radiator. or then the radiators just heating the back of the curtains. We were talking earlier and something I’d never heard before. Richard, you’ve got an amazing tip on blinds.”
The specialist advised ensuring Venetian blinds, when shut, are angled away from the window rather than towards it, explaining that this helps retain warmth inside the room.
He has previously highlighted energy-guzzling appliances that households should think twice about using. Mr Lewis singled out the tumble dryer as a gadget to be approached with caution due to its considerable running cost of £1 per cycle.
He said: “Do you know what the real ‘demon appliance’ is in most people’s houses – the one that you don’t want to use because it’s really expensive.
“Tumble dryers. You’re typically paying up to a quid per load so dry your clothes on an airer outside, to shorten the amount of time you’re using your tumble dryer, or avoid using it completely. Those who have dehumidifiers can take some of the moisture out of the air. It’s less wattage than a tumble dryer, so it can be more cost-effective.”
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Mr Lewis suggested that households consider installing reflective panels behind radiators – directing heat back into rooms rather than allowing it to seep through external walls.
He said: “A tip for you reflective panels behind radiators. Sheets of reflective material can be placed behind radiators. Crucially, this is on external wall radiators, so the heat doesn’t escape. If you don’t want to pay for those, then tin foil can work, although it doesn’t work quite as well.”
He said: “If you’ve got radiators in rooms that you’re not using, go and turn them off before you turn the heating on so you’re not wasting cash overheating empty spaces. Changing the flow rate on your boiler can cut gas bill by over 9% and you won’t notice the change.”
He explained: “Other general tips included: “Check your TV’s on a low energy setting too and walk around your house. Be a draft detector – what drafts can you spot as you walk around your house? And then try, if you can, to seal them up.”
