Can AI really save you money on your heating bill? I spent two years testing to find out
Samuel Gibbs doubted he could cut costs and still keep warm by putting tech in control. The results surprised him Can smart thermostats and AI reduce your heating bills? Every manufacturer claims the answer is yes , quoting average savings in the 25%, or £180 a year range. But all of these promises are heavily caveated and, with energy costs changing regularly, it can be very difficult to tell…
In 2024, I tested my 10-year-old Worcester Bosch gas boiler setup in a solid-brick 1930s house, paired with a Hive thermostat and standard thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs). I used a basic heating schedule and only manually adjusted the heating when necessary, which kept my bills low and my house comfortable. Over 213 days from November to May, my manual control consumed 14,316.7 kilowatt hours of gas.
In 2025, I replaced the Hive thermostat with a Tado X system featuring 13 smart radiator thermostats, wireless room thermostats, and a boiler programmer. This AI-powered system allowed me to control heating room-by-room and automatically turned off radiators when windows were open or when no one was home. The AI learned my heating patterns and adjusted the boiler's flow temperature to save energy. With a £3.99 monthly subscription, the Tado system promised to further optimize efficiency.
Despite the higher upfront cost of £930 for the full Tado setup, I found that the AI system kept my house warmer and more comfortable than my manual control method. The energy IQ feature helped me identify inefficiencies, such as an uninsulated porch radiator, which I quickly adjusted. Overall, the AI-controlled system reduced my gas consumption and led to lower heating bills.
Written by urgent.news from Guardian Technology's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
