With rising inflation, and a scale-back in the amount of Government support to help us pay soaring energy bills, homeowners are increasingly looking for ways to save money.

Throughout the cost of living crisis experts have been constantly offering tips and hints on quickfire ways to heat your home, and save cash. Others have explained how making small changes to your everyday life will boost your bank balance.

But one leading property commentator today warns that not all the advice is what it seems.

In fact, Jonathan Rolande, from House Buy Fast, believes some people could find the steps they take in good faith to save money could even eventually end up costing them more.

He said: “At the moment it can be tempting to follow every single piece of advice out there in relation to energy and money saving.

“But, like anything, not all advice is good advice and I’ve become concerned in recent weeks about certain measures which are being promoted.

“Obvious steps like taking shorter showers, wearing an extra layer of clothing and turning down the heating a degree will save you money. But there are other measures being suggested which aren’t right for many householders.”

Here, Jonathan provides the eight “myths” he’s most concerned about, and the ones he warns homeowners to be wary of introducing.

*Keeping all windows closed is best: May stop a short term draught but, in the long term, it can cause condensation which is expensive to fix. Allow a bit of ventilation as much as possible. Having the heating on all day can make the inside of your home feel stuffy and can actually affect your health, leaving skin and sinuses uncomfortable and dry. It can even result in headaches and nosebleeds. Many people resist opening a window for fear of losing heat from the house. Keeping them shut at all times reduces ventilation which can cause damp, mould and rot. Try opening a window for five to ten minutes a few times a day during the colder months, especially when cooking or after a shower and if you have them, keep trickle vents open.

*Painting radiators black makes them more efficient: Myth. The confusion here springs from the misconception that radiators emit most of their heat through radiation – the theory is that dark colours radiate heat more efficiently. However, as radiators work mostly through convection (the transferral of warm energy to cooler places), the idea that painting them black would increase their output is nonsense.

*It is cheaper to run appliances, such as washing machines, at night than during the day:

It’s cheaper to run my appliances at night. This may be true, but not for most of us. While some households in the UK are on tariffs that vary depending on the time of day, the majority of customers pay the same rate at all times of day and night. However, if you know you are already on an Economy tariff, or are considering switching to one, then running appliances during off-peak periods will be cheaper.

*Packing your loft up with junk will insulate your home. Boxes, packing cases and unused furniture in your loft are not helping to insulate your home. And if they’re squashing your insulation down they’re probably doing the opposite as standard loft insulation works best if it is able to trap lots of air. If you want to store things in the loft, set aside an area next to the hatch, add insulation only to the level of the joists (or raise flooring to boost depth) and then put insulated loft board across the joists to place your items on. The rest of your loft should be insulated to a depth of 270mm (10.5 inches).

*Avoid using the dishwasher: Dishwashers often get a bad reputation for being lumped in with energy-sucking appliances such as tumble dryers. Whilst tumble dryers remain a serious energy offender (drying your clothes on a rack in front of a radiator instead could save you up to £130 per year), dishwashers are not as bad for the environment. In some cases, when used properly, they can actually use less energy than hand-washing dishes. Make sure your dishwasher is always fully-loaded and stacked properly, so that every dish and pan surface is accessible to the water jets, but be careful not to overload it. If you have a cheaper night tariff, set it to come on then.

*Double glazing is the best way to save money: Classic myth! People often think that windows are a major problem because they can be draughty and cold draughts are very noticeable. It’s true that double glazing is much better at keeping heat in than single glazing. But, out of the heat you lose from your home, you actually lose about 35% through the walls, about 25% through the roof, and only about 10% through the windows. We’re not saying that double glazing is a waste of money, but it’s often better to make sure you’ve insulated the loft and walls first.

*Log burners will help me save money: Promoted by many as a long-term way to cut energy costs. In reality they create huge amounts of dust and particulate pollution. They also need safety checks annually which will cost about £50. Also, right now, wood is increasingly expensive – around £80 per square meter, unless of course you are lucky to have a free supply. They also only heat one room and provide just moderate secondary heat to nearby areas. Remember too you need a Carbon Monoxide (CO) detector if using . Log burners are also an increased fire risk and can rarely be used in rentals without permission.

*Blocking air bricks will keep out draughts and save me money on heating: They are there for a reason (ventilation in cavity and sub-floor) and should never be blocked. If you are advised to do so, ignore!