Are we saving oil by not heating upstairs when downstairs is on?

joe565

Hello

We usually have the oil heating on downstairs and only put it on upstairs a few hours before going to bed.

Are we saving oil by not heating upstairs when downstairs is on? (sorry this probably sounds silly question lol) Hope I'm making sense.

Joe

Cardew

Yes you are saving oil.

The fewer radiators you heat, the less fuel you burn.

joe565

Cardew wrote: »

Yes you are saving oil.

The fewer radiators you heat, the less fuel you burn.

Thanks, silly question I know but was told recently that when boiler starts up etc your burning same amount of oil if it's on downstairs and upstairs.

Kinda thought you'd be saving oil by heating downstairs only.

badmemory

Actually not necessarily as it depends on how much of the downstairs heat is actually going upstairs anyway. You will obviously be increasing the draughts in your house as the warm air downstairs will shoot upstairs as fast as it can. Of course if you have a door at the bottom of your stairs to stop heat rising (that is what heat naturally does) then it won't be an issue.

G_M

If no door at the bottom of the stairs, hang a heavy curtain there. Or close all the upstairs doors.

Of course, you'll find that after doing this, upstairs will be colder (as less warm air will be rising from downstairs during the day) so when you "put it on upstairs a few hours before going to bed" you may need to put it on an additional hour or two earlier to get upstairs up to the same temperature as at present.