Switch heating off during the day?

XDA

I currently have my CH set to switch on for an hour first thing in the morning and then switch back on just before i get in from work.

My brother seems to think its cheaper to keep the heating on all day, rather than having it switching on and off.

Im out at work all day, so I dont think there is any need for it to be running when no-ones home.

What do you guys do/suggest?

Cheers!

davetrousers

Heating an empty house all day is folly.

LittleMissAspie

Experiment with meter readings to get the best way of heating your house.

But I can say that I tried this the other year in my flat, we had a combi boiler with no water tank. I discovered that it was cheaper to put the heating on high for a short time than to put it on low for a long time. I forget the exact figures, but I know it was a significant difference.

JonathanA

I seem to think this is one of those myths that it is cheaper to keep your house at a certain temperature than it is to keep turning the heating on / off. However, you're out at work all day, so who gets the benefit? I think it would be cheaper to do as you are doing. We both work at home all day, but the heating still switches off at 'going to school' time, comes on for an hour at lunchtime and then doesn't come back on again til the kids are back at about 4pm ish. Why would you pay to heat an empty house all day? Sounds expensive to me!

XDA

I agree that its probably cheaper to keep it off when the house it empty. My brother's point was that it might be cheaper as the house will be at a constant temperature all day, rather than having to take 30-60 mins to warm up at 4.30pm?

Cheers for the responses all, much appreciated! :money:

Cardew

The 'cheaper to have it on all day' suggestion is an Urban Myth that comes up time and again on MSE.

So if you go away for a year would you keep the CH on the whole while? A month? A week? A day? All exactly the same principle.

Every time your heating is off you are saving money.

If your house takes too long to warm up when you get in, set the heating to come on 30 minutes earlier.

ArsenalFC

Your brother is a moneysaving legend hahaha.

Gas/electricity in use means money to pay.

What you are doing is the best way.

Fire_Fox

I am not at all knowledgeable on heating matters. BUT I do know that a certain % of your heat is lost through windows, roofs etc. Leave the heating on even low all day and you would have to account for the losses in your calculations - it must be quite a bit over an entire icy day? Heat on high an hour just before you get in and you would get most of the benefit as you would at least feel the heat before some is lost.

stevehead

Heat in your house is always trying to escape - your house is trying to reach equalibrium with the outside world.
The warmer your house, the faster it will escape ie bigger heat difference = greater rate of energy loss.
So if you keep the heating on when you're not there, the house is warm and loosing a lot of heat that you're paying for.
If you switch the heating off, the rate of heat loss reduces as the house is allowed to cool. Less energy has left your home.
Firing up the heating will then go full pelt to get you back up to temperature, but overall less of the energy you paid for was lost by allowing the house to cool.

KimYeovil

Why do you have the heating on for one hour in the morning? That will almost double your heating bills (exaggeration). See if you can deal with running in to the shower in the morning and using the warmth of the steam to dress by.

jonnywells

I have my heating come on at 6 in the morning and turn off at 8, its still damn cold in the house!!

Then heating come on at 3:30 till 10:30 at night