Turning heating off for a short while?

Options
r2015
r2015 Posts: 1,136 Forumite
Home Insurance Hacker! Cashback Cashier
in Energy
Do you turn your heating off or turn the thermostat down when you go out for a short while like an hour or so?

I was doing that when my wife and I went out, even a 10 minute trip to the local shop, then turning it on again when we came back, but recently my wife was housebound so was in all the time and I noticed that our gas consumption was still the same and of course the temperature did not fluctuate the same.

It would go down to 18 deg C from 21 deg C after about 3 hours with no heating then on full for about half an hour till the temperature was back up to 21 deg C instead of coming on for a few minutes about every 15-20 minutes.

Last night with the outside temperature down to -8 deg C the house temperature dropped to 14 deg C by 7:45 when the heating came on.
over 73 but not over the hill.
«1

Comments

  • System
    System Posts: 178,094 Community Admin
    Photogenic Name Dropper First Post
    Options
    I had a new condensing boiler installed in April and I am monitoring gas consumption in 15 minute intervals using a remote 'silver dot' reader.

    My heating controls allow me to set Economy which lowers all the TRV temperatures by 3C. Gas consumption does fall during the Economy period; however, when normal heating is re-selected, the boiler flow temperature climbs steadily up to maximum (in my case 70C) until all the TRVs are back within a 2C range of their set temperatures.

    Now, unless I am away from home for a period in excess of 3 to 4 hours, I just leave the heating on. As I post, all 19 radiators are within 1C of their set temperatures and, during the last hour, my gas consumption has been 0.32CM3s. My TRVs come on at various times in the morning depending on the OAT and temperature in the room. Looking at today's graph, I used 1.90CM3s of gas to heat all rooms up to their target temperatures over a 2 hour period. During this time the boiler would have been at max flow temperature and at max output (23.1kWs) for a lot of the time. Looking at the boiler stats just now, the boiler has modulated down to its lowest output (5kW) with a flow temperature of 62C and return temperature of 45C.

    Sadly, none of the above directly answers your question as it depends on the characteristics of your home; your type of boiler and control system, and how long you intend to be away. I have an Opentherm control that communicates directly with the boiler and modulates the gas valve depending on total heating demand. CH is left on 24 hours a day; however, from 10pm until 7.30am, all TRVs are turned down to a temperature of 6C. The worst room that I have for fall in its temperature overnight is a room over an integral double garage. Graphs on ConradConnect.de show that the room temperature fell to 7C at 5AM this morning. CH did not come on: I suspect that it might tonight!!
  • st999
    st999 Posts: 1,574 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    Options
    My heating comes on at 7:45 and goes off at 23:30 with the thermostat set at 21.5 C and I can't be bothered with turning it off for short periods.
  • AndyPK
    AndyPK Posts: 4,241 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post
    Options
    how much do you pay a year st999
  • datlex
    datlex Posts: 2,239 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Post
    Options
    When I am home it is on for 45 mins in every hour then off for 15 mins. Set on the boiler.
    Paid off the last of my unsecured debts in 2016. Then saved up and bought a property. Current aim is to pay off my mortgage as early as possible. Currently over paying every month. Mortgage due to be paid off in 2036 hoping to get it paid off much earlier. Set up my own bespoke spreadsheet to manage my money.
  • singhini
    singhini Posts: 553 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Options
    OMG 21 degrees


    I set my thermostat to 12 degrees and only turn the heating on when I think temperatures might dip to near freezing (so avoiding frozen pipes).
    If I do put the heating on it will be on permanently (to 12 degrees).


    I come home from work and get changed into my pyjamas and get into bed under the duvet and I don't feel cold (watch telly in bed).
    My annul gas and electricity bill is roughly £400 each (4 bed house).


    I think if I was old or had young children in the house then 12 degrees aint gonna cut it (both the old and young feel the cold IMHO).
  • zaax
    zaax Posts: 1,910 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Options
    datlex wrote: »
    When I am home it is on for 45 mins in every hour then off for 15 mins. Set on the boiler.

    Grief thats depressing. I heat my bedroom to 15c; and the living roon to 22c. The other rooms don't get heated.
    Do you want your money back, and a bit more, search for 'money claim online' - They don't like it up 'em Captain Mainwaring
  • reeac
    reeac Posts: 1,430 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Options
    datlex wrote: »
    When I am home it is on for 45 mins in every hour then off for 15 mins. Set on the boiler.

    No room thermostat?
  • st999
    st999 Posts: 1,574 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    Options
    how much do you pay a year st999?

    what I pay is meaningless, how much I use is.

    13,000 kWh a year in total, with approx. 11 kWh a day used for cooking and hot water.
    OMG 21 degrees

    When you get to be in your 70's you won't be saying that.
  • Raxiel
    Raxiel Posts: 1,401 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Name Dropper Photogenic
    Options
    Our heating goes off (drops to 10°C) automatically when we leave the house, and comes back on when we return.

    To be more accurate, it triggers when our phones leave and return, we don't have a regular enough schedule to use timers. When my wife's phone is in the house its set to 20°C and when it's just mine (almost never) its 18.5°C. Between 21:45 and 06:30 it drops to 14°C

    We've noticed that unless we're out for several hours, the temperature in the house doesn't drop that much

    Last year we used 11,000 kWh (of gas, of which around 8000 kWh was for heating, 1500 for DHW and the rest for cooking), compared to 16000kWh total when we had the previous boiler & dial thermostat.

    Perhaps we could cut that down, but right now the house is comfortable* which is the primary purpose of the heating system.

    *If anything it's a bit too warm, this is the coldest weather we've had in a while, and it turns out the curve on the weather compensation is a bit too aggressive, and its overshooting the set temperature by 1-2° so it's getting a bit of tweaking, but since it takes so long for the house to cool, it takes a while to see the effect the adjustment has.
    3.6 kW PV in the Midlands - 9x Sharp 400W black panels - 6x facing SE and 3x facing SW, Solaredge Optimisers and Inverter. 400W Derril Water (one day). Octopus Flux
  • Anthorn
    Anthorn Posts: 4,362 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Options
    My thermostat in the lounge is set to 20 degrees 24/7 and radiators in the bedroom, hall and bathroom each have a thermostat fitted usually set to the midway point, "3". If I go away for longer than a day I turn the heating off.
This discussion has been closed.
★ ★ ★ Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 343.2K Banking & Borrowing
  • 250.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 449.7K Spending & Discounts
  • 235.3K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 608.1K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 173.1K Life & Family
  • 247.9K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards