Am I better off turning the thermostat down lower or simply leaving it at the same level, but turning off individual radiators in rooms that I don’t use?
If you choose to turn off radiators in individual rooms, you must close the doors and prevent draughts, otherwise warm air will escape into these rooms and reduce any savings you make. Remember not to turn off the radiator which is in the same room as the central heating thermostat, otherwise it will be feeding wrong information to the boiler and will affect the heating in the rest of the house. On balance it may be better simply to fit thermostatic radiator valves in rooms you don’t use so often, which will enable you to set lower temperatures, make some savings, but not allow the room to become so cold that it is at risk of developing condensation or dampness.
