Energy alert: Secret boiler hack that can slash £65 off your energy bills this winter

Octopus Energy shares secret boiler hack that can slash £65 off your energy bills this winter Many boilers are left at factory settings that could be higher than necessary Sign up to the Money Newsletter I agree to receive updates and information about my account, the GB News Community, and related products and services from GB News. Email address Sign up By signing up you agree to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy and Community Rules.

Thank you for signing up! See the latest from GB News here . Choose GB News on Google - add us as a preferred source Choose GB News Support GB News Champion free speech and independent journalism while unlocking exclusive benefits. Support us Millions of households could save up to £65 on winter energy bills with a boiler adjustment that takes just minutes. The change could help cut gas use, according to Octopus Energy. Customers with combi boilers are being encouraged to check their heating flow temperature and consider lowering it to between 55 and 60 degrees Celsius.

This setting controls how hot the water gets before it travels from the boiler to the radiators. Most combi boilers leave the factory with flow temperatures set between 70 and 80 degrees Celsius. Installers often leave these settings unchanged, meaning some households could be using more gas than necessary. Octopus included the adjustment among its winter money-saving tips and directed customers to a free online guide from innovation agency Nesta.

Customers with combi boilers are being encouraged to check their heating flow temperature | GETTY The walkthrough explains how to change the setting based on the type of boiler display. Reducing the flow temperature can help a boiler recover more heat that would otherwise escape, allowing it to warm the home using less gas. Nesta said that operating in "condensing mode" means the boiler "will recover heat that would otherwise be lost and will run more efficiently".

Combi boilers work most efficiently when heating radiators to 60 degrees Celsius or below, according to Octopus. However, radiators may feel slightly cooler after the adjustment, and rooms could take longer to warm up. This is normal, according to Nesta. Setting the heating to come on 15 to 30 minutes earlier can allow extra time for rooms to reach a comfortable temperature. Finding the best setting for a property may take a few adjustments.

The Energy Saving Trust recommends that homeowners "should adjust settings gradually and make sure your heating controls are set up correctly before making changes". It added that finding the right balance may involve "some trial-and-error". Octopus also highlighted the preheat feature found on some combi boilers, which keeps water ready for use even when the hot taps are off. The adjustment can be made directly through the boiler's control panel | PA Switching this feature off can reduce gas use further, although it is separate from adjusting the radiator flow temperature.

The adjustment can be made directly through the boiler's control panel, and the change is entirely reversible if needed. Beyond the boiler adjustment, Octopus Energy shared a range of further tips for reducing household energy costs. The biggest potential saving comes from managing the thermostat more carefully, which could trim bills by £90. Draught-proofing gaps around the home could knock off £85, while air-drying clothes instead of using a tumble dryer could save £50.

Turning off devices left on standby could cut £45, as could reducing shower time and switching to energy-efficient lighting. Fitting an insulation jacket on a hot water tank could save £40. Smaller but still worthwhile measures include washing clothes less frequently | GETTY Smaller but still worthwhile measures include washing clothes less frequently and at 30 degrees Celsius, saving £27, and swapping to a more efficient shower head, worth around £25.

Octopus Energy has also confirmed it is once again handing out electric blankets to its most vulnerable customers. The company said it exists to "support customers most in need, particularly people with really specific vulnerabilities and medical needs". The scheme began after one of the firm's engineers calculated that heating an entire home costs roughly £4 a day, whereas an energy-efficient electric blanket can warm a person for just two to four pence an hour.

The blankets cost approximately £50 but could save a typical household around £300 compared with leaving the heating running constantly, according to the company's research. Octopus said it was "prioritising those customers" with specific needs and encouraged anyone else to consider buying a blanket independently. Those wishing to apply should do so through the Octo Assist fund, with decisions typically made within a week. Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter Money British snack retailer falls into administration just weeks after breaking advertising rules Money Ftse 100 hits four-week low as $3trillion US stock market sell-off spreads to UK Money Britain's most affordable places to buy a home revealed - with prices from £73,600 Money DWP confirms Winter Fuel Payment dates as pensioners to get £300 cash boost Money Nationwide raises savings rates on popular accounts after Bank of England hike - full list of changes Money Inflation forecast to hit 5% next year as Bank of England warns of mounting economic pressure Money Bank of England hikes interest rate to 4% - what it means for your mortgage and savings Money Britain's cheapest supermarket revealed as shoppers face £61 price gap Money Pound rises to post-Brexit high: What it means for your holidays, savings and investments Money Pound climbs to its highest level since Brexit referendum Money Top current account switch offers as millions could get up to £300 free cash by Christmas - full list Money M&S boss blasts Labour over 'one of the biggest tax grabs in history' Money Millions could face higher gas bills to cover cost of neighbours switching to heat pumps Money Half a million homeowners could see mortgage costs rise by £369 after Bank of England decision Money Ftse 100 makes surprise gain after US midterms shock sparks sharp overnight sell-off Money Wetherspoon to open up to 25 new pubs over the next year - multiple locations confirmed Money Poundland handed £12.5million rescue offer as bidder pledges to protect jobs Money Bank of England expected to raise interest rates for first time since 2023 Money Pension rule SCRAPPED as grieving families handed major boost in Budget Money Poundland update: No10 says owners 'not acting in the best interests' of staff as Tesco eyes 150 stores Money DWP unveils pension shake-up that could give 17million workers an income for life Money Nationwide launches market-leading savings account in boost for customers Money British Gas to resume force-fitting prepayment meters this winter after three-year suspension Money Rachel Reeves says £66billion tax rises left Britain better off Money Virgin Media O2 to axe thousands of jobs in £800million cost-cutting drive Money Ryanair workers face pay freeze as Michael O’Leary hits out at Labour Budget Money Andy Burnham confirms £380 tax boost for 400,000 households Exclusive Money 'HMRC wants £12.5k before I've opened the doors': Business owner risks family savings as Budget adds to costs Money More than 830,000 low-income families to miss out on £100 energy payment Money NS&I announces two new £1million Premium Bonds winners for November 2026 - check if you've won