Overview
- Heating only when required is more energy- and cost-efficient for most households with conventional boilers, according to expert Ryan Willdig of Heatforce.
- Leaving a boiler on all day forces it to maintain temperature even when no one is home, using considerably more gas over 24 hours.
- Modern condensing boilers paired with timers or smart thermostats can warm spaces quickly and cut bills by avoiding constant operation.
- Three exceptions can justify longer or steady run-times: underfloor heating due to slow response, heat pumps that work best at lower flow temperatures, and very well-insulated properties with minimal heat loss.
- The Energy Saving Trust advises scheduling heating to start about 30 minutes before waking, to switch off about 30 minutes before bedtime, and to turn it off when the home is empty.