Britons Basking in Mediterranean Temperatures (at Home) Could Save Over £300m in Fuel

The Energy Saving Trust reveals the financial and environmental cost for UK households who are over-heating their homes: around a third of UK households (7.7m properties) are basking in Mediterranean temperatures at home. Collectively they are squandering up to £332 million a year, and as a result of inefficient use of their heating systems they are collectively wasting 2.8m tonnes of CO2 a year.

According to new research1 from the Energy Saving Trust -
* Just under a third (31%) of UK householders have the temperature in their home set between 22 - 30oC or above - hotter than the average summer temperature in many Mediterranean destinations.

* Furthermore, one in ten (10%) UK householders - that's around 2.5m homes - heat their homes to a balmy 25oC which is the same as an average summer's day in the Canary Islands.

If all these 2.5m householders who currently heat their homes to 25oC turned their room thermostats down to a comfortable temperature of 21oC, they would collectively save £332m in fuel bills. That's around 2.8m tonnes of carbon dioxide, and represents around £110 off an average households' annual fuel bills.

* Furthermore, UK householders are not paying attention to how they heat their home because 18% (around 4.5m households) admitted they do not know to what temperature they are heating their home.

* Yet 73% (around 18m householders) say they have a room thermostat installed - indicating people do not understand how to use these simple heating controls to help them make these savings.

Karen Lawrence, Head of Advice at the Energy Saving Trust commented:

‘Leaving aside the implications which living in an over-heated environment might have on your general wellbeing - such as drier, dehydrated skin - heating your home to a Mediterranean climate is simply a waste of fuel and draining on the pocket. Why not just wear another layer, a jumper? It's crazy how people seem to want to dress for the inside outside wearing t-shirts under patio heaters, and for the outside inside wearing vests at home!

‘I urge householders to take control of their heating systems today by calling their local Energy Saving Trust advice team on 0800 512 012 or visit http://energysavingtrust.org.uk to find out how they can make savings of up to £250 off their annual fuel bills'.