Brits have a Miami Vice for central heating systems

Article date : 17/02/2010

Despite worrying about their winter energy bills, many Britons are continuing to demonstrate bad habits when it comes to their central heating systems, it has been revealed.

According to Confused.com, the average homeowner now turns their heating up to 22.6 degrees Celsius - making many properties hotter than Miami in January.

Furthermore, while 73 per cent of respondents admitted they are worried about paying their winter energy bill, one in ten admitted they leave radiators on all day so their home is warm when they return from work.

Meanwhile, 22 per cent of pet owners ensure their furry friends do not get cold by leaving their heating running, while 37 per cent stated they were more likely to turn up the thermostat than put on a jumper.

Commenting on the findings, Gareth Kloet, head of energy for the group, said: "In order to minimise the impact of unnecessarily high bills, it's important to realise that winter doesn't stop when you go through your front door."

According to the Energy Saving Trust, there are a number of simple steps Britons can take to keep their heating bills to a minimum.

These include checking to see if radiators need bleeding and fitting a reflector behind the appliances, along with having heating controls installed.

Written by Tony Harrison

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