Millions of Brits have no idea how their central heating works – and don’t know how to change the settings
MILLIONS of Brits have no idea how their central heating works - and couldn’t change the settings to save their lives.
A study of 2,000 adults found that, of the 63 per cent who have a boiler, 41 per cent do not confidently know how it works.
And 53 per cent admitted they’d struggle to change the settings.
While 62 per cent have tried and failed to personalise their heating system to suit their household needs, such as changing the time it turns on and off.
It also emerged four in 10 have given up when confronted with a symbol they didn’t understand.
And 71 per cent think they waste money on bills due to not fully understanding their heating.
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Kirsty Duffy, property expert and spokesperson for smart heating brand, Wiser, which commissioned the research, said: “The research shows how little people know about their own home and their boiler settings.
“This can result in people spending more money than they should and perhaps not being able to keep the home heated in the most efficient way.
“Understanding the household heating system can be overwhelming, especially if there are lots of different buttons and symbols on the control panel.
“However, at a time of rising energy bills it is important homeowners know how to operate it in the most economical way.
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"This is why we have created their which aims to help homeowners understand their heating.”
The study also found there is some fear surrounding changing boiler settings, as 49 per cent actively avoid amending the controls in case they change something they can’t reverse.
And 55 per cent have searched online to try and figure out what the symbols on their heating system mean.
Despite rising energy bills, 59 per cent have turned their boiler on or ‘boosted’ it, only to forget to switch it off again when they go out - this happens on average four times-a-month.
But leaving the heating on leads to 29 per cent worrying about wasted use of energy while 49 per cent are more concerned about frittering money on bills.
Half (51 per cent) said the recent cost-of-living increases have caused them to make more effort to understand their central heating system.
Yet, more than a third (36 per cent) of those polled, via OnePoll, admitted that instead of trying to work out the timer setting on their boiler, they typically just leave it on 24/7 over winter.
Wiser’s spokesperson added: “Everyone knows that this winter is going to be tough due to rising energy costs, but our worry is that homeowners lack of understanding about their heating controls will also leave them with high energy bills.
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“Simple steps such as setting timing schedules or personalising the heating to each room can significantly reduce energy bills.
“However, investing in a smart heating system can provide even more cost saving benefits for households - with functionality such as ‘insights and ‘eco mode’ households can save up to £450-a-year on energy bills."