MARTIN Lewis’ MoneySavingExpert.com has revealed it’s cheaper to leave the heating on all day or to turn it on when needed.
The hotly debated topic comes as temperatures started to plummet this week.
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However, the idea that it’s cheaper to leave the heating on low all day is a myth.
The MSE Team said: “Having the heating on only when you need it is, in the long run, the best way to save energy, and therefore money, according to Energy Saving Trust.
“A timer’s best, as your thermostat turns your heating on and off to keep your home at the temperature you set.
“It’s all about the total amount of energy required to heat your home.
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“A certain amount of energy is constantly leaking out of the building (how much will depend on how good your insulation is).
“The Energy Saving Trust says if you’re keeping the heating on all day, you’re losing energy all day, so it’s better to heat your home only when you need it.”
The advice comes after recent figures from CheckaTrade show that the average cost of running your heating per hour is 7p.
This means that if you have a 24 kW boiler, you can expect to pay around £1.68 per hour to run it on mains gas.
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So if you have your heating on overnight for eight hours, it could cost you £13.44.
And if you were to leave it on for 24 hours it would cost £40.32.
Multiply that by seven and you’d be paying £282.24 for the week.
Of course, the overall cost of running your central heating will depend on a number of factors, such as the type of boiler you have, the number of rooms in your house and how often you switch it on.
So ideally households should look to use a timed heating programme to ensure they aren’t paying over the odds.
But if you do have your heating on a timed programme, make sure your thermostat is set at the right level.
Most households will regularly set their thermostat above 22°C, especially as the colder weather sets in.
But energy experts have revealed the exact temperature to set it at so that you can save cash and keep warm throughout the winter.
For most of us, our thermostats should be set between 18°C and 21°C.
In fact, turning your thermostat down by just a single degree could save you as much as £100 a year on your energy bill.
How else can I cut my heating bills?
If you turn your boiler’s flow temperature down as well as any thermostatic radiator valves in some rooms – you could save around £180 annually on your energy bills.
A couple managed to cut £400 off their EDF Energy bill by turning off their immersion heater.
Topping up loft insulation and switching to a smart meter can bring a household a further £230 worth of annual savings, according to Nesta.
It is also important to ensure that when your boiler’s running there’s no draught.
Ventilation is good for health and air quality but it’s the first place where heat will escape.
If there’s a draught, grab a draught excluder and plug the gap.
You should also ensure your windows are closed before the sun sets.
Consider what rooms in your home need heating.
You won’t be using each one 24/7 so make sure the heating is off in any rooms that aren’t occupied.
There is also a list of other common boiler problems we’ve rounded up that could be pumping up your bills.
A noisy boiler could also indicate that your water pressure is low or there’s a pump failure.
If you spot rust on your boiler then it could mean you’re paying more than you need to on using your appliance.
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Although rust itself does not cause issues, it could be a sign that there is a leak – which indicates there is a problem with your boiler.
It can also upset the temperature balance in your boiler, making it run less efficiently and ramping up costs.
