With energy costs still being much higher than a few years ago, you may be particularly conscious about turning your heating on.
It’s very tempting to leave it as long as possible, because it will delay the point at which your energy bill starts ratcheting up. When the Energy Savings Trust asked its community of social media users about this, over half said they leave it as long as possible, while a third said they usually do it by mid-September. You will need it at some point, though, so here’s a quick guide to help decide when to do it.
Prioritise any vulnerable individuals
While a slightly colder house may be just a little uncomfortable for most, it could be harmful for any vulnerable individuals. Older people and those with medical conditions can be more sensitive to the cold, so you should consider their needs and turn on the heating to keep them healthily warm.
Consider your personal comfort
In the absence of any vulnerable individuals, you could just think about how comfortable you feel. For example, if you just feel a little chilly as you sit watching the television, you may feel warm enough with some extra clothing or a blanket. Some days in early autumn will be colder than others as well, so you could start by just turning the heating on for particularly cold days or just specific times of day when it’s noticeably cold.
Use 15 degrees as a trigger
It’s often reported that people tend to put their heating on when average outside temperatures drop to 15°C or less regularly. This typically happens around October according to the Met Office, but it can of course vary. You could use this as an objective trigger for when to put the heating back on.
Do it when the clocks change
You might think about turning on the heating when the clocks go back on the last Sunday of October. While this is in theory a reasonable time, the weather may have different ideas and force you to turn the heating on earlier.
Tips for reducing the cost of heating
Turning your heating on doesn’t need to be costly. Firstly, don’t heat your home warmer than it needs to be. If you don’t already have one, installing a thermostat will enable you to better control the temperature of your home and avoid wasting energy on overheating. What’s more, even just setting your thermostat just one degree can lead to substantial savings. Installing thermostatic radiator valves can also give you more control over individual rooms.
Second, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. If you have a programmable thermostat, you can set it to suit your routine. For example, say your house is generally empty during the day. You could set the heating to warm the house a bit in the morning, turn off, and come back on towards the evening as people arrive home. In a thermostat-based system, the central heating won’t kick in unless it’s needed to reach the desired temperature, so even when it’s turned “on”, it’s not necessarily actively heating your home.
Finally, it can be better to heat your home in a steady state. Yanking up the thermostat because you’re feeling chilly, only to then put it down because you’re sweating, can be counterproductive. Instead, just set a temperature you will be comfortable with and trust in your central heating system to do its job. Modern modulating boilers regulate the flow temperature to provide a steady, consistent temperature, and this in turn helps them to work more efficiently and therefore reduce your bills.
Check your boiler before you need it
When the time inevitably comes to turn on your heating, imagine how frustrating it would be to find it’s not working. What’s more, heating engineers tend to be busier at such times because they are attending other breakdowns, meaning you may have to wait longer for one. It’s therefore a good idea to check everything is working before it’s actually needed. What’s more, unless you already had your boiler serviced earlier in the year, it’s highly advisable to get it done ahead of the cold weather. Contact Xgas to arrange a service and help ensure your boiler will work safely and efficiently.