We enjoyed heatwave after heatwave this summer, but all of that barbecue weather is a distant memory already. It’s only mid-September, but it’s cold, wet and there’s even a weather warning in place right now.
As a result, many households have already begun sticking their heating on, even though autumn has barely arrived.
But this time of year often sees an age-old debate flare up again: is it cheaper to leave the heating on all day, or should you switch it on and off when you need it?
It’s a debate which has raged for years probably because the answer is actually fairly complex, as many different households have different heating types, different boilers, and different people with different needs living in them.
However, according to experts at The Energy Saving Trust, the debate is over and the answer is clear.
The Trust says that if you have a boiler (and most still do, even though heat pumps are becoming more common), then the best thing to do is turn your heating on and off, NOT leave it on all day.
It said: “If you have a boiler, then no – keeping your heating on all the time will use more energy and cost you more money.
“It’s more energy efficient, and better for your bills, to have your boiler come on when you need it.”
But if you do have a heat pump, then leaving the heating on all day is better. It adds: “But if you have a heat pump, then you can save money by leaving the heating on all day. Check out our advice on how to improve your heat pump’s efficiency.”
It’s worth noting that not everyone agrees with the Energy Saving Trust’s verdict.
Martin Lewis’ MSE website says that there are arguments ‘for and against it’.
It did stress, though, that Martin Lewis has not given his own verdict on the argument, and that any claims that he has are not to be taken seriously.
MSE reports: “We wish we could give you a definitive answer, but this question is far more complex than it first seems and we’re not heating engineers or physicists. So please ignore clickbait publications erroneously crediting Martin with an answer – he knows a lot (too much) about energy bills, but this one isn’t his or our bag.
“Ultimately, there are arguments for and against it, and it’ll likely depend on the type of heating system, your usage pattern, and what type of home and insulation you have.”
MSE points to the ‘low and slow’ method, which works best with modern boilers. Here, you set the boiler to a lower constant temperature rather than turning it on and off all the time. Setting it to 18 ot 19C and then leaving it constantly can help the boiler to recover waste heat and operate more efficiently.
MSE adds: “So perhaps the best advice is to try an experiment. Try a few days or a week with your heating on a constant low setting and then try only having the heating come on as and when you need it over the same time period and compare the energy use.
“Take meter readings at the start and end of each period and compare.”