British Gas, OVO, EDF, EON, Octopus customers urged to spend 99p or face £1,800 charge

British Gas, OVO, EDF, EON and Octopus customers have been told to spend 99p to save themselves from the new energy price cap. Thanks to Ofgem, the energy price cap will rise to a staggering £1771 from October 1 and last until January.

A home heating expert claims a simple 99p purchase could be the 'key' to knocking up to £350 off your bill. Radiator bleeding keys, which cost as little as 99p from online stores and hardware shops, can help make homes warmer and save on central heating costs by reducing trapped air built up over summer months.

Home heating expert, Mitchell Wray explained: "There are often household maintenance tasks that can be neglected or forgotten, and for lots of Brits bleeding your radiators might be one of them. Lots of advice often is focused on the central heating and boiler itself, but often money is wasted by not checking your actual radiators, and in some cases, can impact your overall central heating."

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Jess Steele, heating technology expert at BestHeating, said: “Being able to bleed a radiator is a valuable skill as it is important to do this around the home yearly. Failing to do this can cause internal corrosion and damage parts linked to the boiler.

“If your radiator has cold spots at the bottom, the system may need flushing which is a more complicated task. For those who don’t feel confident in their skills it is always best to contact a qualified professional who will prevent any further problems down the line.”

If you need to bleed your radiator, the first thing to do is turn your central heating off so you don’t get hot water burning you.Next, find the radiator bleed valve. TOnce you’ve found it, put a towel on the floor beneath the bleed valve to catch any water.

Next, insert the radiator bleed key into the valve until they lock together - then turn it anti-clockwise to open the valve - keep turning the valve until it is between a quarter and half way open, being careful not to open it fully.

You should hear a hissing sound, which will stop once the trapped air has been bled from the radiator. Close the valve once you’re finished.