Is your heating ON or OFF?

Caterina

closed wrote: »

http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/cym/Home-improvements-and-products/Heating-and-hot-water/Hot-tips

"If you have a programmer or timer, set it so that the heating only comes on when needed. If you are out of the house during the day then it shouldn't be left switched on all the time and for most people, it won’t be needed at night while asleep."

"Your hot water should also be set to come on only when needed. It is quite a widespread myth that it is more efficient to leave your hot water on all the time however this is not the case"

Still on the myth vs truth saga: Today there was an article in Metro magazine with references to the Energy Savings Trust and one of the recommendation was to leave the heating on all the time in winter, at least 10 degree centigrade, during the night and when going on holiday, in order to avoid freezing pipes.

Also, I have read the article on the link that closed kindly found and saw that the "myth" bit refers to the hot water bottle and not the heating system (above that bit there is a much more relevant piece of info about housing retaining warmth etc...)

You know what, I think I shall stick to what I have always done and has worked for me, and stop worrying who's right or wrong!:cool:

bellaquidsin

ON far too much for my liking and our budget, but DH has Raynaud's Disease and has to keep warm.

I worked so hard last winter to get our bills down really low for retirement, but now he is at home the heating is on nearly all the time.

Our DD was set acording to my efforts last year and is fixed for 12months, we're going to be in for a big shock when they put it up after that:eek:

Bella

Primrose

bellaquidsin - would your DH benefit from a pair of fleecy lined trousers? My OH bought a pair from Milletts a year ago, mainly to keep his legs warm when going to watch football matches. He says they are absolutely brilliant and if your OH really feels the cold indoors, perhaps either something like this or long johns would help him. I don't like to be cold and often will rather wear some longjohns under my trousers than keep turning the heating up. We find that if we have the heating turned up too high or switched on all the time it dries the air up and we start suffering from cartahh or dry coughs.

BitterAndTwisted

Primrose I think that everyone would benefit from fleece-lined trousers! I know I would. I've barely had a day without wearing my thermal undies this winter so far. Maybe bellaquidsin's husband would benefit too but from what little I know about Raynaud's is that sufferers feel the cold in their extremities the most and that it can be very painful indeed

ginnyknit

The landlords gift of double glazing - like we havent paid for it 50 times over- is paying off already. It took a few days for the house to warm through after having every window and door removed at the same time and left out for hours. Yesterday we felt like we were in a sauna so down went the heating. For the first time in my life I am in a comfortably warm house with no draughts.They still have to replace a couple of the doors next week but I am confident the heating will be able to be turned right down and then off asap. Dd got a free nursery thermometer yesterday and its showing 18 degree's, is that good? Im not well up on temps, it does say its perfect for a nursery. So am listening for the electric meter to slow down, then I will be :j:j:j:j for joy!

BitterAndTwisted

18 degrees Centigrade is very comfortable and I think that's about 65 degrees Fahrenheit or thereabouts. After enduring this winter with the temp never over 15 I think I might find it a bit too warm now

penelopedee_2

Ours is on its normal winter routine, 5.30-8 in the morning and 3.30-9 after school. Thermostat is down to 20 and I won't be turning it off unless the weather warms a bit. Radiators are off in the smaller bedrooms where it gets a bit hot but we have an old house which is pretty much open plan downstairs so it needs a bit of help. I will start to lessen the hours when it warms up in March time (hopefully) but while I still have a job I'm not making the family freeze for the sake of it.

closed

Caterina wrote: »

Still on the myth vs truth saga: Today there was an article in Metro magazine with references to the Energy Savings Trust and one of the recommendation was to leave the heating on all the time in winter, at least 10 degree centigrade, during the night and when going on holiday, in order to avoid freezing pipes.

Also, I have read the article on the link that closed kindly found and saw that the "myth" bit refers to the hot water bottle and not the heating system (above that bit there is a much more relevant piece of info about housing retaining warmth etc...)

You know what, I think I shall stick to what I have always done and has worked for me, and stop worrying who's right or wrong!:cool:

The bit referring to heating says exactly the same, I'll quote it again:

"set your programmer so that the heating switches on in the evening, just in time to get your home up to the right temperature for when you return home, and have it switch off again a bit before you go to sleep so that the house will be starting to cool down by the time you get into bed. Do the same in the morning so that it switches on a bit before you wake up and switches off just before you leave the house."

"If you have a programmer or timer, set it so that the heating only comes on when needed. If you are out of the house during the day then it shouldn't be left switched on all the time and for most people, it won’t be needed at night while asleep."

If it was cheaper to keep it on 24/7, the energy saving trust would say so, but they don't. The myth applies to any heating, the hotter your house is, the faster it loses heat to the outside world (when outside is colder), the more you are wasting money.

if you aren't in or asleep turn it off, hot water in the pipes, or hot water in the immersion tank, or hot water in a kettle, it doesn't matter, its the laws of physics - it costs more to maintain heat in a body, than to warm it up when needed, if you are asleep for 8 hours, and out of the house 8 hours per day, and leave the heating on all the time, you are wasting a significant amount of money.

There are lots of threads on the subject of 24/7 heating, it's always more expensive than heating when needed, just like a kettle.

Leaving the heating on low, (10 degrees isn't low) may be necessary in the depths of winter if you are going away for a month and have no pipe insulation, but your pipes won't freeze while you are out at work or asleep unless you are incredibly unlucky.

Did they quote the energy saving trust giving this advice, or was it a journalist? Whichever, turning the stat down lower has the same effect as using a timer, it turns the heating off and saves money.

Olliebeak

Mine is currently on from 7.00am to 9.00am at 21deg and then 7.00pm to 11.00pm again at 21deg with rads in the living room and dining area.

Upstairs rads are all turned off as we don't like warm bedrooms.

I work from home during the day, but as I'm in and out a lot, I tend not to have the c/h on at all. Unless DD or DS2 arrives with youngest grandchildren, in which case the timer gets 'fast-forwarded' to it's evening setting.

Even at 21deg, my living room doesn't feel very warm as it's open-plan and any warmth goes straight up the stairs. We do keep the bedroom doors closed, but the landing gets really warm - need to put a sofa up there to benefit . However, at 21deg the dining area is like an oven, so have to turn that rad down a little to comfort level.

I was hoping to switch it off altogether on 1st March, but not looking likely at the moment. May be able to reduce the 'on' times though.

Primrose

We have a couple of those cheapie thermometers which show the temperature over a blue & red coloured dial., showing when the temperature falls to a potentially "too cool" situation. 18 degrees is on the cusp of being Comfortable/Too Cool, and you shouldn't really have it lower than that if you are in a continually sedentary position as you could start to chill. If you're passing an Age Concern shop, check if they're selling these these thermometers. They cost £1.50 and are made by a company called Day-Impex. (www.day-impex.co.uk/thermometer.aspx) There is some good information about comfortable temperatures on their website.