Every year I swear I won’t do it until the clocks go back and every year I almost always fail.
This year’s been no exception. Yep, I’ve finally let go of summer for another year (sob!) and switched the heating back on.
This year I really did try to persevere, mostly because I’ve finally got my heating bill down to an affordable monthly payment and I’m loathe to see it get hiked up again next year. So I resisted the thermostat and layered up instead.
I duly put on fluffy socks and slippers, and a furry gilet, snuggled under a faux-fur blanket (there’s a theme here), filled up hot-water bottles and wedged the novelty draft excluders into the gaps at the bottom of my doors.
Alas, I had to admit defeat at the end of last week when the cat abandoned me and I could see my breath and feel my ears and nose burning from the cold.
The great boiler switch-on
But it seems I’ve held out for longer than some. According to data collected from British Gas Hive Active Heating customers, 35% of my fellow Londoners switched their heating on at the tail end of September. In the same week, 78% of Hive customers in chilly Scotland ramped up their thermostat, while 65% did it in the North East, 63% in the West Midlands and 40% in the South West.
And although I can’t remember exactly when I turned my heating on last year (I definitely vowed to not do it until the clocks went back though!), it seems that, thanks to the late summer, most of the country has held out for four weeks longer this year.
Cost-effective heating
I’m still not giving in entirely though. I’m only giving my Victorian conversion (think very high ceilings) a quick blast to ‘warm it through’ every now and again, and I make sure I switch off the heating altogether when I go to bed at night. But could this practice actually be costing me more or should I just leave the heating on low all day from now until winter is over, even when I’m not at home?
According to our experts, if you keep the heating on low all day, you’re losing energy all day, so it’s better to programme your heating to only work when the house is occupied. Set your timer, so it’s nice and warm for when you get in. Read our tips for how to save money on heating your home and getting the best from your heating controls.
Tom Sullivan from Active Plumbing and Heating Solutions, who is endorsed by Which? Trusted Traders, also suggests the following:
- 1. Install thermostatic radiator valves
- 2. Use a seven-day, programmable thermostat
- 3. Try weather compensation controls
- 4. Use your controls effectively
- 5. Ensure you have the right boiler for your home
- 6. Give your system a regular check-up
And with some forecasters predicting this winter to be the coldest and snowiest for six years, it certainly pays to bear these tips in mind.
Still, I’m holding on to the hope that I can switch it off as soon as the clocks go forward at the end of March.
Have you put on your heating yet? What are your top tips for keeping warm in-between seasons?
Have you switched your heating on yet?
Yes, my heating is on now (80%, 1,993 Votes)
No, but I may do soon (12%, 302 Votes)
No, I'm holding out until after the clocks go back (8%, 204 Votes)
Total Voters: 2,499
