Anyone who has a radiator in their home issued with £225 warning

You can do a number of things to cut your energy costs
-Credit: (Image: Getty Images)


Customers of British Gas, OVO, EDF, EON, Octopus and others who are firing up their heating systems for the first time this autumn could end up paying an extra £225 unless they perform a simple check first. The cleaning task you need to do before switching on your heating has been disclosed - and the good news it's pretty simple.

Accumulated dust and dirt can make radiators less efficient. It's been advised that clean radiators could reduce energy bills by as much as 25 percent - equating to about £225 for some customers, especially with the new energy price cap looming.

"With the average gas central heating bill now standing at around £900 a year for a two to three-bedroom house, ensuring your radiators are working efficiently is one of the most effective ways to cut costs," said Nancy Emery, heating expert at Drench. "Research suggests that by simply keeping your radiator system clean you could save up to 25 per cent off your bills - that's around £225 a year."

To properly clean a radiator, it's important to turn your heating off. Andrew Collinge, a heating product specialist at BestHeating, advises: "It is not only safer but prevents them from drawing up more dust while you clean," reports Birmingham Live.

Next, employ a vacuum cleaner to tackle the dust in, around, and underneath the radiator. Andrew further instructs: "Use a vacuum to clear as much dust in and around the radiator as possible. If your vacuum comes with them, utilise the smaller attachments to reach inside down the fins."

Andrew further recommends: "Take a stick or piece of wood and wrap a microfibre cloth or fluffy duster around it and secure with tape. To get rid of the smaller pieces that get caught on the radiator fixings, use a hairdryer on a cold setting to blow these out down onto the towel."

Sharing with Ideal Home, he advised: "Ensure you have a lot of soapy suds on your sponge and ring it out so that it is damp but not dripping."