With energy prices higher than ever before, there’s all kinds of advice floating around. It’s important to separate the fact from the fiction, so we’re looking at one of the most common energy myths.
The question seems simple. Should you leave your heating on at a low setting all day, or turn it on when you need it?
The answer is a little more complicated than a simple yes or no, but crucially most experts say that it is typically best to only turn your heating on when you need it.
Let’s Unpack That
Your home is constantly leaking heat. If you have a well-insulated home, there’ll be less heat waste, but you can never eliminate it entirely.
So if you leave it on all day, your heating will be in constant overdrive. This is continuous work for the boiler that adds extra strain to the system. You’re generating heat that you don’t actually need to feel warm.
Compare this to if you pop your heating on now and then as and when you start feeling cold. You’ll generate enough heat for your home so you stop feeling cold, without constantly trying to replace lost heat.
This is also why you shouldn’t turn your thermostat above your goal temperature to ‘make it get warm quicker.’
There Must Be Some Exceptions?
Yes, but they’re pretty uncommon. If your home is particularly susceptible to condensation, then keeping your heating on low constantly might be worth it. This is because condensation can gather within your walls, which can make your home even less energy-efficient.
If you have really good insulation then it’s less expensive to leave your heating running, simply because less heat will be lost. However, if saving money is your main goal, then it’ll still most likely work out cheapest to only turn it on when you need it.
If you’re going to be away from home for a while then it may be worth keeping your heating on. This is to protect your home from mould, but crucially it helps prevent your pipes from freezing. Leaving your heating on for this length of time will be costly, but the expense of a possible pipe repair will outstrip this.
Wi-FI enabled heating (through a thermostat, for example) will help mitigate this a bit, as even if you’re far away from home you can still manage your heating.
Do note that while leaving your heating off entirely might be tempting, this can cause long term damage that will work out as more expensive (or at the very least, more stressful) than your energy bills.
What’s An Alternative?
IR panel heaters are great at heating the person over the home. That means that even though electric heating is fairly pricey, you won’t need to leave your heating running for ages to feel warm.
We even have WI-FI and remote control options for a more flexible approach to heating compared to traditional boilers.
You can give us a call on 0116 436 2250 to get started. Alternatively, drop us an email at sales@mirrorstone.co.uk.
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