Every year, as autumn arrives and the temperature starts to drop, we all think about this common question: when is the right time to turn the heating on?
It’s obvious to turn the heating on when you begin to feel cold, especially if anyone in your household is an older person or is someone with a medical condition, and when temperatures begin to fall to 15°C or below, more of us are likely to turn up the thermostat.
One Degree Makes A Big Difference
The key to saving money while still feeling comfortable is setting your room thermostat correctly. A good range is between 18°C and 21°C, which ensures the heating comes on only when needed and helps prevent overheating your home in winter. By lowering your thermostat from 22°C to 21°C, in most UK households could save up to £90 a year.
Choose the Best Time of The Day
It’s generally helpful to have your heating come on about half an hour before you wake up in the morning and turn off about half an hour before bedtime. This will save money instead of the boiler consistently being on, while you’ll also wake up without feeling cold and go to bed comfortably warm. If you're out during the day, you can turn the heating off while no one’s home.
Is it Better to Leave the Heating on All Day?
If you have a boiler, it’s more efficient to only turn the heating on when you need it rather than leaving it running all day, which will use more energy and cost more. However, with a heat pump, it can be more cost-effective to leave the heating on all day. Check out our tips on Heat Pumps vs Traditional Heating: Which Is Better for Your Home?
Preparing your Boiler for Colder Weather
Even if you’re delaying turning on the heating for the moment, it’s important to ensure your boiler is in good working order. After being off all summer, now’s the time to check for any issues.
If you haven’t already done so, book your annual boiler service now to avoid emergency repairs later. As winter approaches, it’s harder to book an engineer as quickly as you’d like.
Upgrade your Heating System
Before winter properly sets in, you should consider upgrading your central heating system. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is currently open for applications and will run until December 31, 2027, giving homeowners ample time to make the switch to a more sustainable heating solution. Government-funded, the scheme supports homeowners in England, Wales and Scotland in transitioning to low-carbon heating systems - offering grants of up to £7,500 for both air source and ground source heat pumps and up to £5,000 for Biomass Boilers. Read more about how we can help you access these funds here.
Consider a Smart Thermostat
Smart thermostats learn your habits and adjust your heating to keep you comfortable. You can often schedule temperature settings and control your heating remotely through an app, allowing you to turn the heating off while you’re out and have it on by the time you return home.
Insulation Top Up
Something as simple as topping up your loft insulation could mean that your heating system must work less to maintain a comfortable temperature in your home. Warm air naturally rises, so if you have insufficient insulation across the roof space this could be acting like a chimney and allowing the warm air to leak straight out the top of your property. Replacing ineffective loft insulation with newly installed material with a thickness of 300mm could save the average home over £250 on their heating bill over the year.
For more information and expert tips on how to reduce energy costs with pioneering, sustainable solutions, check out our Insights page and for more information on the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, read our expert blog.
Start your money-saving journey today and look to a more energy-efficient future, by booking your very own Vibrant Energy Saving Audit today. We’ll help you reduce your property's carbon footprint while increasing your property value and reducing your bills.
Book your energy audit now.