Is it more energy-efficient to have the heating on constantly or only when you need it?
Those who argue for having their heating on all the time believe it takes additional energy to bring their home up to temperature when the heating has been switched off. Why bother spending a lot of time heating your home only to let it cool down again?
It's clear that if you leave your heating on 24/7, you will typically end up using more fuel. This is because some heat loss will always occur due to the difference between the temperature outside your house and the temperature you are trying to maintain on the inside.
So, if you have your heating on all the time, your heating system will be using energy on an ongoing basis to maintain the inside temperature.
However, the greater the heat loss from your home, the more energy you will need to maintain the inside temperature, which means that the cost of leaving your heating on all the time will be especially expensive.
That's why ensuring your home is well-insulated is vital to minimise this heat loss. Taking steps to improve insulation is a good way to save on your energy bills - this can include insulated cavity walls, a well-insulated loft, double-glazing and draught-proofed doors.
Typically the most energy-efficient approach to heating your home is to programme your heating system so that it comes on when you need it most.
With many of the more modern room thermostats you also have the ability to set different temperatures for different rooms at different times, and you may even be able to set up a separate programme for weekends.
How to test whether it's cheaper to have heating on all day or only when you need it
If you're not convinced — and if you have a well-insulated home — you can test whether putting on the heating 24/7 is cheaper than programming your system to come on at certain times of the day.
To get a good idea of the energy usage for each option, you can leave your heating on constantly for a week, followed by a week of programming your heating to come on twice a day.
You will need to take a meter reading at the beginning and end of each week, and from the results you will be able to see - assuming the weather and temperature outdoors have been similar across the two weeks - which approach is the most energy-efficient for you.
Insulating your home for extra energy-efficiency
Insulation is the simplest thing you can do to improve the energy efficiency of your home, but where do you start?
Loft insulation
Loft insulation is cheap and relatively easy to install while saving a significant amount of money on heating. If you already have loft insulation in place but it was installed some time ago you may want to check your levels. Older loft insulation is typically of a lower level than today's recommended levels, so you may need to top up your insulation.
Wall insulation
Even if you already have loft insulation in place, you can still save by looking into wall insulation. Wall insulation is more expensive to install than loft insulation and you will probably need help, but it will still pay for itself in a few years.
Wall insulation comes in two types. If your property was built after the 1930s there's a good chance you have cavity walls. Cavity walls consist of an inner and outer wall, and cavity wall insulation simply fills the gap between those two walls. This is done by drilling small holes in your walls which are then filled with insulation material.
Solid walls are more difficult and potentially expensive to insulate but are still possible. For more read our wall insulation guide.
Door and window insulation
Even if you don't opt for insulation, there are still small changes you can make around the home to improve energy efficiency. Draught proofing is the most basic, and consists of filling any gaps around the edge of doors and windows, but also extends to chimneys and letterboxes for example.
The best thing about draught proofing is that it's cheap to install and you can do it yourself. Expanding foam for example can be picked up in almost any DIY store and can quickly seal gaps around windows.
The other obvious source of heat loss is your windows, but again the solution is easy. While double-glazing will save a lot of energy in the long run, it's also expensive to install. However, you can also minimise heat loss by closing curtains when the temperature drops and opening them when the sun's out. Likewise, insulating covers inside curtains can help reflect even more heat.
How else can I save energy at home?
There are many ways you can save energy at home, whether you're looking for big investments or small changes. Find out more in our guide featuring over 100 tips for all budgets and rooms in the house.
