After a particularly wet and blustery week, the nation’s fingers are on the heating button, trying to hold off, but desperate to get some warmth into their home.
There are usually two types of people: those who crank up the central heating, and those who insist an extra layer and a blanket are equally effective for keeping inhabitants warm.
Is it more efficient to have the heat on long and low?
In most cases, keeping your heating on constantly is not an efficient approach. Instead, it's better to schedule your heating to come on at specific times of the day, such as in the morning (making it slightly easier to drag yourself away from the warmth of your bed) and when you return home from work. However, exceptions exist, particularly in properties susceptible to condensation and dampness. In such cases, maintaining a lower constant temperature during the day can help prevent moisture buildup. If you're working from home and frequently turning the heating on and off, it's advisable to keep the thermostat lower and maintain longer heating cycles, as this reduces the strain on your boiler and minimizes temperature fluctuations.
Will turning the heating up add instant extra heat?
Another common argument between householders is whether turning the thermostat up actually impacts the heat output of the radiators. The simple answer is “no”. Adjusting your thermostat to a higher setting won't make your room warm up any faster; it simply determines the points at which your heating will switch on or off. Raising the thermostat to 25 degrees because you're feeling chilly won't provide immediate relief; instead, you'll soon find yourself uncomfortably warm, leading to turning off the heating and even (shock, horror) removing those all-important layers, which only results in a temperature yo-yo effect. What’s more, reducing your thermostat by just one degree could trim nearly £100 from your gas bill. If you notice your gas bill rocketing and your heating making minimal impact, remember to book a boiler service as it may not be running efficiently.
Will my thermostat mean that my house is the same temperature in every room?
It's a common misconception that setting the thermostat at, say, 18 degrees will evenly maintain that temperature in every room of your house. However, unless you have a thermostat in each room, this is not the case. Your thermostat controls the heating based on the temperature in the room it's placed in. For example, if your thermostat is located in a warmer room like the kitchen, the heating will switch off when the kitchen reaches 18 degrees, even if the rest of the house is still colder. Conversely, if the thermostat is positioned in a cooler area like a hallway, the rest of the house might become excessively warm, but the heating won't stop until the hallway reaches the target temperature.
By monitoring your gas consumption closely, you can discover the most cost-effective heating method for your home. Follow Trust A Trader on Facebook or X for more tips on heating your home, and keeping it warm.