Heat only the rooms you use and close doors
Turn radiator valves down in bedrooms and unused rooms and keep doors closed between warm and cool rooms.
Do it yourself
Sources checked on .
HeatingLevel 1 · HabitCost: FreeA few minutes
Thermostatic radiator valves (the numbered knobs) let each room have its own temperature. As a rough guide, setting 3 is about 19–20 °C (living spaces) and 2 about 16 °C (bedrooms). Keep doors to unheated rooms and hallways closed so the cold doesn't spread.
Don't close valves completely in rooms you don't use: keep them at about 15 °C (setting 1.5 to 2) to avoid condensation. In the room with the main thermostat, leave the radiator valve fully open.
Details
| Impact | Not rated · The cited sources don't give a size for this saving, so we don't guess. How we rate impact |
|---|---|
| Estimated saving | Not quantified per room in the sources; each degree lower saves roughly 6–7% (see the thermostat tip). (confidence: low) |
| Who acts | You (tenant) |
| Needs landlord's agreement | No |
| Type | Action |
| Constant or subject to change | Constant · Good practice that barely changes with new laws, prices or services. |
Sources
- 100 tips om energie te besparen (in Dutch) · Leefmilieu Brussel (official source) · checked on
- Thermostatische radiatorkranen (in Dutch) · Energieloket Stad Mechelen (official source) · checked on