Households across the UK are being alerted to a costly and common mistake with their radiators that threatens to inflate winter energy bills by hundreds of pounds. This urgent warning comes as families grapple with a recent energy price cap increase, which rose by £35 to an annual level of £1,755 from October 1st, 2025.
The Costly Radiator Habit Draining Your Wallet
Experts at Only Radiators have identified a primary culprit: drying clothes directly on radiators. This widespread practice severely undermines your heating system's efficiency. "When you're drying clothes on a radiator, you're really just blocking the radiator from heating the room," the specialists explain. The wet clothing acts as a plug, absorbing a massive amount of heat while leaving the room cold.
This forces your boiler to work much harder to achieve the desired temperature. "Your boiler then has to struggle to heat the room using a radiator whose convection cycle is blocked," the experts continue. The result is a radiator rendered completely inefficient, a process described as costing homeowners "mega-bucks." Your central heating system suffers, and your bank balance feels the strain.
Potential £600 Annual Loss from Neglected Radiators
Further amplifying the concern, UK Radiators has advised all households to conduct a simple inspection of their heating systems. Failure to do so could lead to squandering up to £600 every year through a combination of elevated energy bills and entirely avoidable repair costs.
Rob Jones, a heating expert at UK Radiators, provided a stark assessment: "The average household could be losing between £400 and £600 a year just by ignoring their radiators." He noted that many people only become aware of problems when they first switch their heating on in November, often discovering that half of their house remains cold. By that point, he warns, "it's often too late - small fixes have become expensive call-outs."
Simple Steps to Protect Your Finances
The silver lining, according to Jones, is that preventative measures are straightforward. "The good news is these are easy checks you can do right now," he assures. His recommendations are clear: bleed your radiators to release trapped air, ensure there is clear space around them for heat to circulate, and run your heating for about 20 minutes to identify any issues while there is still time. "A little preparation now saves a lot of stress and money in December," he concludes.
A specific and highly effective action is bleeding your radiators. This process involves releasing trapped air from the central heating system, which prevents cold spots and significantly boosts the radiator's ability to heat your home. According to UK Radiators, air pockets can reduce heating efficiency by up to 15%, costing an extra £70 to £100 unnecessarily. Other potential problems include obstructed heat circulation, which, while seemingly minor, can pile hundreds of unforeseen pounds onto annual heating expenses, creating significant financial pressure for families.
