Is your heating ON or OFF?

pollys

Not on at the moment, the windows are open wide upstairs the whole house feels like it needs a really good airing. It is starting to feel a bit cold now though so will close them and pop heating on in a bit. A few of our neighbours have had frozen pipes, it seems to be the houses with quite a bit of pipework on outer walls.

Pollys xxx

lostinrates

Off.

We've run out of oil. God knows where its gone, we had a third of a tank two weeks ago. Will phone and try and get moved up the list for deliveries.

I think I've worked out it might not be cheaper to just leave it on at 50 Fahrenheit all the time!

suzybloo

Ours is on almost all the time at the moment, gas central heating, but the radiator in the hall is not working so we have an oil filled radiator on there at the moment,the plumber was suppose to be here a few weeks back but I am sure he is soooo busy with the unfortunate souls who have had burst pipes etc and will give us a shout when he can. I know I should read the meters but I am really dreading it! will bite the bullet tomorrow and do it!!!!!

BOBS

lostinrates wrote: »

Off.

We've run out of oil. God knows where its gone, we had a third of a tank two weeks ago. Will phone and try and get moved up the list for deliveries.

I think I've worked out it might not be cheaper to just leave it on at 50 Fahrenheit all the time!

Would be great if someone 'in the know' could explain the most efficient way of running our oil heating. Boost an hour as you need it OR turn thermostat down and keep running constant ??? lots of different combos - advice on which is most efficient would be greatly appreciated (please x)

bluebag

BOBS wrote: »

Would be great if someone 'in the know' could explain the most efficient way of running our oil heating. Boost an hour as you need it OR turn thermostat down and keep running constant ??? lots of different combos - advice on which is most efficient would be greatly appreciated (please x)

I am no fuel efficiency expert, but I tried both ways and to be honest I didn't find very much difference between the two. I have it on between 6am and 1am. set at about 22C. Ours is a big draughty terrace though and is the devils own job to get it warm once it's cooled down. I am also at home all day, I would have it on timed if I was going to be out all day... totally off is definately money saving ( with frost protection of course in this weather)


Why not try both ways with a before and after reading, it won't be totally accurate because of hot water use, heat loss, differing external temps, but it may give you a better idea.

I also find it not too bad to leave the timer set to come on for an hour between 3 and 4 am to just top up the temp overnight, hoping to avoid a burst. We don't leave the heating on overnight usually.

lostinrates

bluebag wrote: »

Why not try both ways with a before and after reading, it won't be totally accurate because of hot water use, heat loss, differing external temps, but it may give you a better idea.
.

I don't have an accurate way to gauge for my house, being on an oil tank not something with a meter! I don't think my change of use has really been that great a test either, though we've certainly used a lot since I left the heating on low.

butler_helen

bluebag wrote: »

butler_helen,

I hope you have left the heating on frost-guard in this weather.

Urrrrmmm no. Because there is no frost guard, the timer doesn't work and I can't afford to leave it on - have I been stupid?

bluebag

butler_helen wrote: »

Urrrrmmm no. Because there is no frost guard, the timer doesn't work and I can't afford to leave it on - have I been stupid?

Hopefully not.

debtmess

on at my mums, her house is sooooooo warm !

hope everyone had a good christmas x

suki1964

lostinrates wrote: »

I don't have an accurate way to gauge for my house, being on an oil tank not something with a meter! I don't think my change of use has really been that great a test either, though we've certainly used a lot since I left the heating on low.

Ok this isnt scientific as Im no scientist not a student of anything but i think my set up her is similar to yours and this is my experience

Two years ago we were reliant on oil only for heating. Oil was around 35-40p per litre. A fill of 1200 litres lasted us in the winter about 10 weeks max

1200/10=120x37(average) = £44 a week

Oil is now 55p ie 120x55= £110 a week

If I had the oil on all day

Now I have the oil on for 7 hours a day and a tank is lasting 20 weeks (winter months)

1200/20=60x55 =£33 a week

Difference is I have the stove on all day - hundred weight of smokeless is £15 - lasts about 10 days

Oil - £33 plus coal @10.50 - heating for the week is now £43.50

Saving me over £50 a week ( if I were to have the heating on all day)

I time the heating so its off and on all day and night - the rads rarely get cold, all rooms are ok to walk around in with a tee shirt and it even comes on for 30 mins twice a night to stop the pipes freezing

The stove keeps the sitting areas toasty and my bedroom is so warm Im thinking of putting the 5 tog duvet back on

I am convinced that having the heating on all day is burning money I dont have. Timing it to come on for shorter periods through out the day is saving me money and I will not be convinced otherwise. The trick for me has been working out whens best for the heating to be on for the boots and it does take some fine tuning. Im lucky my time can have as many on and offs as I want in a 24hr period and Im also lucky that all our days here are the same - weekends have the same activity as weekdays