By Brooke Davies For Mailonline

Published: 11:57 EDT, 25 August 2022 | Updated: 12:08 EDT, 25 August 2022

Families could save hundreds of pounds on their energy bills this winter by taking a few simple steps. 

Soaring costs are set to impact British households as the energy price cap rises on Friday, and is expected to increase yet again in January. 

As the country faces energy bill hell in a growing cost-of-living crisis, MailOnline reveals the expert tips that could help households save money, and improve energy efficiency...

The process is different for every boiler, but it is always fairly simple. 

There are specific instructions how to turn down the flow in each boiler manual.

The Heating Hub also has a guide on their website.

It is important to only do this if you have a condensing combi boiler that is connected to a hot water cyclinder. 

The flow temperature on a boiler regulates how hot the water is when it leaves the boiler to go to your radiators.

Most condensing combi boilers in the UK are still set to their factory setting, which tends to be around 80C, but this setting can let heat escape out of the flue and into the street. 

However turning down the flow temperature to 60C means the boiler works to recycle a lot of this heat back into the water it is trying to warm up. 

Jo Aslop of the Heating Hub said that by doing this, households could save around 6% to 8% of their annual gas usage. 

Ms Aslop said: 'It's worth making the point that condensing boilers, even though they're A-rated on the box (for efficiency), they don't necessarily achieve A-rating in the home.

'We would advise to lower the flow temperature to 60C and if they find that's a bit too cool on a very cold day, they can always notch it back up, but importantly reduce it down again when the weather gets a bit warmer, and keep reducing it down.' 

Several energy suppliers are also urging customers to turn down their boiler flow temperature. 

Rebecca Dibb-Simkin, chief product officer at Octopus Energy, said: 'Safely turning down the water flow temperature of your gas boiler is a little-known but very effective tip for saving gas whilst staying warm, and could save people up to 8% off their gas bills. 

'Over 100,000 of our customers who took part in our energy efficiency scheme last winter told us they tried it, with some of them knocking nearly £100 off their bills. 

Most condensing combi boilers in the UK are still set to their factory setting, which tends to be around 80C, but this setting can let heat escape out of the flue and into the street

Turning boilers off is not advisable or an effective way to save energy. 

Instead, thermostats and timers should be used effectively to regulate their operation.

 Fridges and freezers are designed to be kept on all the time and energy will not be saved by turning them off for short periods because more energy will be used to cool them down again when turned back on.

There are also important safety issues that can arise if food partially defrosts before it is prepared for eating.

The pre-heat function makes sure that the boiler always keeps a small hot water ready to flow to the taps at a moment's notice. 

It is a useful function when you need hot water quickly and do not want to wait, such as washing your hands, but the boiler is using energy to heat up water when you do not need it. 

Ms Alsop said: 'If the boiler is not on and heating the home, it will fire anyway, just to keep that water at temperature, even if someone is not home during the day, and certainly it will fire all through the night, even when hot water is not in demand. 

She estimates that households could save between 5% to 10% of their gas use. 

Households should do a complete check of every power outlet, unplugging anything that is not necessary and turning devices off standby mode. 

Energy Saving Trust calculates that you can save around £55 a year just by remembering to turn your appliances off standby mode. 

Almost all electrical appliances can be turned off at the plug without upsetting their programming. 

Households can get a  standby saver or smart plug which allows you to turn all your appliances off standby in one go. 

Tumble dryers are massive energy drains, so on warm days hang clothes outside to dry instead and invest in a drying rack for cooler months. 

Use washing machines on a 30C cycle and reduce use by one run a week. 

Only run your dishwasher when it is full and use eco settings if possible. 

Avoid overfilling the kettle and only boil the amount you need. 

Tumble dryers are massive energy drains, so on warm days hang clothes outside to dry instead and invest in a drying rack for cooler months

The more fridges and freezers ice up, the more energy they will use, so defrosting them regularly can help improve efficiency. 

A full freezer is more economical to run, as the cold air does not need to circulate as much, so less power is needed. 

If you have lots of free space, half-fill plastic bottles with water and use these to fill the gaps. 

BBC Good Food suggests you fill the freezer with everyday items you are bound to use, such as sliced bread, milk or frozen peas. 

The more fridges and freezers ice up, the more energy they will use so defrosting them regularly can help improve efficiency

Replacing all the lights in your home with LED bulbs can help save even more money

Turn lights off when you are not using them or when you leave a room. 

Replacing all the lights in your home with LED bulbs can help save even more money. 

When opening the windows of your house on a warm day, all it does is fill the room with hot air. 

It is best to use blinds and curtains to block direct sunlight during the day and then open the windows at night when temperatures drop. 

This helps to save energy and reduce the need for power-hungry fans. 

It is best to use blinds and curtains to block direct sunlight during the day and then open the windows at night when temperatures drop

Fans can send bills soaring, and there are ways of maximising their effect but cutting the amount of time when they are on. 

Putting fans at floor level helps to circulate the lower cold air rather than the warmer air that naturally rises in a room. 

You can also create the ideal combination for energy saving by pairing smart fan usage with closed windows, keeping the fans working during the day and the windows open at night. 

A quarter of heat in an uninsulated home is lost through the roof. Most homes have at least some loft insulation but often not enough

New analysis by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit has found homes rated band F on the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) system, a measure of the home's efficiency, are set to have a gas bill £968 higher than a home rated EPC band C, the Government's target for 2035. 

The average home in the UK is rated band D and these homes will pay £420 more for their gas this winter, compared with band C.  

Energy Saving Trust also says that for those wishing to future-proof their homes, investing in professional draught-proofing and insulation in preparation for the winter months could lead to a reduction in bills by £405 for a semi-detached home.

DIY draught-proofing is much cheaper and anything is better than nothing.

Installing solar panels for a similar property could lead to additional annual savings of around £450.

A quarter of heat in an uninsulated home is lost through the roof. Most homes have at least some loft insulation but often not enough. Topping up from 120mm to at least 270mm of insulation will help.

Thats all very well and good but you should also v...

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