As the cold bites and bargain hunters seek thrifty methods to warm up their homes, a Martin Lewis trick could be a game-changer this winter.
With Scotland seeing sub-zero temperatures, icy fog and chilling snow, it’s safe to say that now is the time to turn the heating on. However, this can be a costly endeavour, which is why many households turn to alternative heating methods and one social media user has done just that.
Sam Calver took to TikTok to share his experience of testing a tip shared by finance guru and Money Saving Expert founder Martin Lewis. After admitting to constantly having the heating on, Sam seems to be quit glad to have made the switch.
As reported by the Manchester Evening News. Sam said: “I can’t believe I’ve only just found out about this central heating trick. All I seem to be doing is turning the heating up all the time, but I saw Martin Lewis talking about the radiator foil hack, and I had to give it a go.”
He continued: “I grabbed myself some radiator savers – actually really cheap and you get about five metres of it. You just cut it to size, slide it down the back of your radiator, and it now reflects the heat from your radiator back into the room rather than seeping through your walls. It means you can have your heating on less and save a lot of money over time.”
The tip has struck a chord with the public, garnering loads of likes and comments. One person shared their extreme take on it, saying: “I done the whole room – walls, roof – even the windows. I honestly know how the Xmas turkey feels sitting in its tin foil all day. Very warm, but very dark.”
One person shared their experience: “It works well. Done it since the 80s. Also, put thick aluminium foil on the ceiling. The room becomes even warmer as you don’t lose heat to the flat upstairs.”,
Another added: “People have been doing this for donkeys years.”
The savvy heating tip was spotlighted by Martin Lewis in 2022 on his programme, the Martin Lewis Money Show Live. He suggested that by placing foil behind radiators, you can bounce heat back into the room, potentially cutting costs.
While you can buy specialist radiator foil, many households opt for ordinary kitchen tin foil as a cost-effective alternative with comparable benefits. Nonetheless, some experts question how much difference this hack really makes.
Despite mixed opinions, the foil-behind-radiator trick has gained traction online, with various influencers vouching for its effectiveness. Martin Lewis has also offered other energy-saving advice, such as applying cling film to single-glazed windows to trap air and insulate, which also helps to reduce window condensation caused by the meeting of warm air inside and the cold glass surface.
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