One of the big questions that heating engineers in Bristol and around the country are often asked is, is it better to turn the heating on and off, or keep it at one temperature? So let’s bust a few heating myths and see what the best approach is to keeping your home warm and electricity costs under control.
When should heating be used?
The main argument used to justify keeping the heating on is that it uses more energy to get the place warmed up than it does to maintain the constant temperature. However, if you have your heating on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, you will use more energy because almost every home experiences some heating loss – mostly due to the difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures.
The greater the loss, the more energy you need to keep to that certain temperature and the higher your bills will be. So, the key point is to have good insulation around the property to preserve the heat as much as possible and to set different temperatures at different times. Typically, it will be at a much cooler setting during the night than during the day or while no one is in the house.
When should you have your boiler serviced?
It is tempting to leave the boiler service until winter when you start to use the system more frequently, but it is recommended to have it served in the prior upcoming months. That way, if there are any problems, you can find out long before you need to rely on the heating. Winter can be a busy time for heating engineers but a reputable company should be able to find time to fit in your annual boiler servicing.
Should the hot water boiler always be on?
Similar debate centres around the hot water boiler – on all the time or only when you need it? The answer is somewhat similar – if you don’t need hot water in the middle of the night then there’s no point having the boiler heating it. It can prove most economical to have hot water during the day when it is required.
If you’re unsure about your plumbing and heating, our Bristol based engineers have a look for you. We have over 40 years of experience with boilers and central heating in the Bristol area so feel free to give our team a call!
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