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A House Beautiful report lists eight household heating habits that experts say may reduce comfort or waste energy, including setting the thermostat high, blocking radiators and leaving heating on all day. The advice also covers radiator maintenance, drafts, electric blanket safety and indoor dampness; it does not quantify typical savings from the suggested changes.
House Beautiful has published advice from heating and home experts on eight common habits that may make homes less comfortable, use more energy or create other problems during cold weather. The report covers thermostat settings, radiator placement and maintenance, drafts, heating schedules, electric blankets and drying clothes indoors, but does not provide a measured estimate of savings for making the suggested changes.
The report says turning a thermostat higher does not make a home warm up faster, while the heating specialists at Heatforce claim that each degree above 66°F can add 10 percent to annual heating costs. The supplied article does not explain the calculation or specify the household, heating system or other assumptions behind that figure. Its suggested setting is around 66°F when people are home and awake, with a reduction of four to six degrees overnight; comfort and appropriate settings vary by household.
Other recommendations focus on letting heat circulate and limiting heat loss. Furniture or curtains close to radiators can obstruct warm air, according to Furniture & Choice design head Amthal Karim. Energy expert Scott Byrom of The Energy Shop says moving furniture six inches from a radiator can help air circulate. The article also recommends checking for gaps around doors and windows and using draft blockers or sealing strips where appropriate.
The remaining advice includes scheduling heating for the times it is needed, rather than running it all day, and checking radiators for cold spots at the top, which heating expert Stephen Hankinson says can indicate trapped air. The report warns that older electric blankets or those without overheating protection can pose a fire risk, citing Vonhaus buyer Adele Brennan. It also says drying clothes on radiators can hinder heat circulation and contribute to dampness or mold; the supplied source text cuts off before completing its discussion of this issue.
How Household Habits Affect Heating
The recommendations matter because they connect everyday choices to comfort, energy use and household safety. A blocked radiator or draft may make a room feel colder, while a heating schedule that does not match when occupants are home can use energy when warmth is not needed. The report presents these as practical areas to check, not as guaranteed bill reductions.
The guidance also spans risks beyond cost. An electric blanket in poor condition may present a fire hazard, while drying clothes indoors or on radiators can add to dampness concerns, according to the article. Those issues call for attention to product condition and ventilation, not simply adjustments to the thermostat.
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Eight Habits Behind the Advice
The House Beautiful report groups the advice into eight common mistakes: setting the thermostat too high; placing furniture in front of radiators; overlooking drafts around doors and windows; relying on an old heated blanket; keeping heating on all day; failing to bleed radiators; drying clothes on radiators; and, in the supplied excerpt, an eighth item that is not visible because the source text ends mid-section.
The article attributes its recommendations to people identified as heating, energy, home-design and electrical-product experts. It is consumer guidance rather than a technical assessment of a particular home or heating system. The supplied material gives one specific cost claim—the Heatforce estimate about each degree above 66°F—but does not state a study method or baseline that would allow readers to apply it directly to their own bills.
““While it won’t heat your home any faster, what it will do is waste energy and therefore waste money.””
— Heating specialists at Heatforce, as quoted by House Beautiful
Savings and Missing Source Details
Actual savings are not established in the supplied report. It does not provide bills, controlled comparisons or estimates for the other seven habits, and the Heatforce 10 percent figure is presented without its calculation method or a detailed comparison baseline. The effects of any change will depend on the home, heating system, weather and household routines.
The source excerpt is incomplete: it ends during the section about drying clothes on radiators, so the full wording of that advice and the report’s eighth mistake cannot be confirmed from the material provided. The article also does not give a publication date. Its recommendations are general and do not replace a qualified professional’s assessment of a malfunctioning heating system or electrical product.
Checks Households Can Make
The immediate steps in the report are to review thermostat and heating schedules, move furniture and curtains away from radiators, inspect doors and windows for drafts, and check electric blankets for age, condition and overheating protection. Households can also look for radiators that are cooler at the top; the article advises switching off the heating before bleeding a radiator and using a radiator key and towel to catch drips.
Readers seeking a complete account of the eighth item or the article’s full clothes-drying advice would need to consult the original House Beautiful report. Anyone concerned about an electrical fault or a heating system problem should follow the manufacturer’s instructions and seek appropriately qualified help rather than treating general consumer tips as a repair guide.
Key Questions
What heating mistakes does the report identify?
The supplied material covers high thermostat settings, obstructed radiators, drafts, old electric blankets, heating all day, unbled radiators and drying clothes on radiators. It refers to eight mistakes, but the excerpt does not show the eighth item.
Does setting the thermostat higher warm a home faster?
The heating specialists quoted by House Beautiful say it does not. They say turning the thermostat higher can use more energy, but the report does not provide a test or quantify the effect for individual homes.
What could a cold patch at the top of a radiator mean?
Heating expert Stephen Hankinson says a radiator that is cooler at the top than at the bottom may have trapped air and may need bleeding. The article advises switching off the heating first; follow equipment guidance and get professional help if unsure.
Does the report say how much money these changes will save?
No. It repeats a Heatforce claim that each degree above 66°F can add 10 percent to annual heating costs, but the supplied report does not explain the calculation. It gives no measured savings for the other recommendations.
Why does the report warn about old electric blankets?
Vonhaus buyer Adele Brennan says older blankets or those without overheating protection can pose a fire hazard. The report recommends checking a blanket’s age and condition and describes automatic shut-off as a feature on newer models.
Source: housebeautiful.com
