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Clocks Fall Back This Weekend — Home Heating Timers Often Won't

Fresh polling and medical guidance underscore health drawbacks and minimal energy gains as Spain urges the EU to scrap the biannual change from 2026.

Overview

  • Germany and much of Europe switch to standard time in the night of October 25–26, with clocks moving from 3:00 to 2:00.
  • Many central heating controllers do not update automatically, risking mistimed night setbacks and higher bills unless manually reset, experts say.
  • Tenants can mitigate the mismatch with programmable or app‑controlled radiator thermostats, which in many cases adjust to the time change on their own.
  • While networked devices and radio‑controlled clocks follow legal time via PTB signals, analogue clocks, simple digital alarms, ovens and older car radios typically require manual adjustment.
  • Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez says his government will push for an EU‑wide end to clock changes from 2026, as a DAK/Forsa survey finds 76% in Germany favor abolition and 31% report health or psychological problems tied to the shifts.