Energy myth-busting: Is it cheaper to have heating on all day?

juliebunny

I would really like to have radiator covers fitted but I've heard some people saying they really make the room colder - does anyone have any experience with this?

lstar337

juliebunny wrote: »

I would really like to have radiator covers fitted but I've heard some people saying they really make the room colder - does anyone have any experience with this?

Obstructing a radiator will reduce its ability to transfer heat, but as long as the TRV isn't covered then your room should still reach whatever temperature you have it set at. It'll just take a little longer.

juliebunny

Thanks for the reply. I'm assuming therefore that this will cost me more money to heat the room then?

Cardew

juliebunny wrote: »

Thanks for the reply. I'm assuming therefore that this will cost me more money to heat the room then?

Your assumption is incorrect.

The warmer the room, the greater the heat loss. So when the room is at the desired temperature set on the TRV, it will lose heat at a set rate.

As it will take longer to reach the desired temperature, then whilst the room temperature is below that set on the TRV it will be losing heat at a lower rate.

victor2

juliebunny wrote: »

Thanks for the reply. I'm assuming therefore that this will cost me more money to heat the room then?

But it may stay warm for longer, as no heat will be lost by taking longer to heat the room up. So you could possibly turn the heating on and therefore off sooner than you do now.

victor2

This thread never fails us - winter must be coming...:rotfl:

Cardew

victor2 wrote: »

This thread never fails us - winter must be coming...:rotfl:

We will soon have a post giving absolute proof(cos they have kept records!) that keeping the house 24/7 at a steady, say, 30C costs less than having heating on an hour a day set to 18C;)

lstar337

Cardew wrote: »

We will soon have a post giving absolute proof(cos they have kept records!) that keeping the house 24/7 at a steady, say, 30C costs less than having heating on an hour a day set to 18C;)

:rotfl:

Indeed, proof that will undoubtedly fail incorporate the unseasonably warm winters we have had the last few years!

Mark_Beech

Well sort of ......

My grasp of physics was repeatedly challenged by other forumites ....... apparently A level isn'y good enough.
All I know is that keeping my heating on all day every day during the winter months and turning all the thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) down a couple of clicks during the night (I don't like to be as warm during the night) and when I go away for a couple of days (again the house doesn't need to be quite as warm) ...... my annual gas bill is only marginally more than when I used to do the "traditional" thing of two hours on in the morning then six hours in the evening.
The other thing I have noticed is that once the fabric of the house (as opposed to the air in the house) has got fully warmed through ..... the number settings I use on all the TRVs is significantly lower than is needed when the heating is only on twice a day.
So my conclusion is ........ my annual heating bill is maybe £100 more than if I only had the heating on twice a day ..... but the house is always really dry and comfortable and warm. At about £2 extra per week for me it's a bit of a no brainer.
Life's too short to be cold.

lstar337

Mark_Beech wrote: »

Life's too short to be cold.

Nobody said you should be cold. I heat for an hour at 6am and 30 minutes at about 6pm and the house is 21c+ all day long.