Do you leave your heating on all day when at home?

Scott_39

I've just moved into a apartment. It's the first time I've lived alone. I was thinking people left heating on in winter, but I've just rest a article by Martin Lewis saying turn off heating then back on when needed?

tim_p

You’ll get a different answer from just about everyone!  Cold weather and we’ll probably have the gas fire quietly burbling away all day, with the boiler heating things up before we get up and then late afternoon (bungalow) 

[Deleted User]

Yup but then i have a thermostat up and downstairs. Up will be off & down on. Holds its heat well so boiler doesn't actually come on that much. 

 Would have sat in the cold in my previous place. No thermostat and old terrace that refused to heat. 

A_Lert

Yes, because a family member with arthritis insists on it.

If it's just me I have it off for a few hours in the afternoon to save money.

clive0510

normally just leave it on stat. (set the thermostat and let it sort it self out) so between 15 and 20 while im in. and turn it down to 10 when im out. but since I'm furloughed now for 2nd time, its definately on more than its off. so gas bill will be a big one in the new year. but I'll worry about that as and when!

Talldave

Get a programmable thermostat and think in terms of what temperature you find comfortable at what time of day - program it up and let it run.  Obviously it costs more to keep the heating on all day - but the cheaper option involves shivering a lot!

The ancient way of thinking was in terms of "on" and "off" - and older people will boast about how they never have the heating on at night - and consequently shiver under 3 duvets.  A programmable thermostat allows you to set a lower night time temperature that keeps things comfortable.  They also offer features like holiday mode (remember when we used to do those?) so that the place is warm and toasty on your return.  And if you get one with optimum start, it learns the thermal response of your home and adjust the boiler start time to actually reach the temperature you've set at the time you set.

Our heating is effectively "on" 24/7, 365 days a year.  It's just that in summer the thermostats recognise that it's warm enough to match our required temperature settings (we have 4 thermostats for different areas) and don't call for heat from the boiler.  However, if we get a freezing night in the middle of July, it'll come on to bring the house up to our programmed temperature.

Carrot007

Talldave said:

Get a programmable thermostat and think in terms of what temperature you find comfortable at what time of day - program it up and let it run.  Obviously it costs more to keep the heating on all day - but the cheaper option involves shivering a lot!

The ancient way of thinking was in terms of "on" and "off" - and older people will boast about how they never have the heating on at night - and consequently shiver under 3 duvets.  A programmable thermostat allows you to set a lower night time temperature that keeps things comfortable.  They also offer features like holiday mode (remember when we used to do those?) so that the place is warm and toasty on your return.  And if you get one with optimum start, it learns the thermal response of your home and adjust the boiler start time to actually reach the temperature you've set at the time you set.

Our heating is effectively "on" 24/7, 365 days a year.  It's just that in summer the thermostats recognise that it's warm enough to match our required temperature settings (we have 4 thermostats for different areas) and don't call for heat from the boiler.  However, if we get a freezing night in the middle of July, it'll come on to bring the house up to our programmed temperature.

Pretty much this (though did waffle a bit ;-) ).

Get something modern, nest etc are great. Set min temp, eco temp and heating patterns (that it can adapt to how you set things if needed) (nest is around £200 and standard wireless is not nothing so it's not much more). Plus with nest (etc) the qability to turn on heating to high when it's cold and you are on your way home is great!

caeler

No. I live in a well insulated new build so heating is on a timer with thermostat on 20c. On at 0600-0700 and 1700-2000. I generally keep it off completely over the summer. 

BedrockFred

caeler said:

No. I live in a well insulated new build so heating is on a timer with thermostat on 20c. On at 0600-0700 and 1700-2000. I generally keep it off completely over the summer. 

The same here but not a new build, plenty of insulation walls, windows, loft etc

Gerry1

Scott_39 said:

I've just moved into a apartment. It's the first time I've lived alone.

I trust you immediately took meter readings (including water) and registered with the energy providers and then compared quotations, starting with Citizens Advice and 'Switch with Which?'?  If not, you'll be on an expensive 'deemed tariff'.

You'll have to guess your annual consumption, but at least you won't be on a Tariff From Hell, e.g. one arranged by the letting / estate agent (who gets a bung at your expense).

Remember that separate suppliers can be cheaper.  Always ignore all projections and savings claims, forget monthly DD amounts, just compare the total annual cost (initially based your guesstimate and then on actual meter readings when you have them).

Don't use electricity for room heating, hot water or showers; it's four or five times as expensive as gas.  If you don't have gas, consider moving.  If you don't have gas and don't have genuine night storage heaters (or a heat pump, oil, LPG etc), move as soon as your agreement finishes !

Brewer20

On at 8am off at 9.30am back on at 4pm until 11pm. It's set to auto but we overide it if we need it on earlier in the afternoon. Set to go off when it reaches 19 Deg C, cosy enough for us at that temp. We watch the bills but never suffer by having a cold house, it's good as we've topped up the insulation coupled with having a new boiler around  3 years ago. We are mainly in all day in winter, especially this year.👎