Is it better to turn the heating on and off or leave it on at minimum?
Now that winter is about to arrive and there is a general drop in temperatures in Spain, many homes need to face the cold and keep the heating on for part of the day. According to the Government’s Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving (IDAE), the most advisable thing is to “adjust the heating to the actual occupancy time of the homes.” But, Is it better to leave it on at minimum or turn it off and on to save?
Experts recommend turning off the heating at night, since “15-17 degrees is enough to sleep comfortably“, they add from IDAE. If the home is poorly insulated, it can be left on at night with the thermostat at this temperature, but it is “much more efficient” to turn it off and on a few minutes before getting up.
During the day, whenever we are at home, it is advisable to set the temperature to 20-21 degrees. “For every degree in which the temperature of a building or home increases, Energy consumption increases by 7%, as does heating spending and CO₂ emissions,” they emphasize.
In which cases is it worth leaving it on?
Most experts opt for turn the heating off and on at certain times, although everything will depend on the use that is made of the housing, the insulation or the system used, among other factors. Therefore, if we are away from home most of the time, such as to work, it is best to turn it off and on before returning.
If the absence at home is less than four hours, it is better to keep it at a low temperature (15 ºC – 17 ºC), since “the effort of reheating the walls of the house is greater than the small consumption of maintaining that minimum temperature”, details from the Gana Energía company.
Current thermostats allow regulate the temperature from your mobile phone, which is more effective in saving energy. An alternative to save on heating is to turn it off before leaving home. “Once we disconnect it, the house does not immediately become cold, but rather maintains the heat for a while. That time would be wasted if no one is home, so turning it off half an hour before leaving our home could save us money,” they add.
How to save on heating this winter
In addition to regulating the temperature of the home during the day and night, Selectra experts recommend following the following tips to save on our bill:
- Regulate the boiler to a maximum of 45 degrees.
- Regulate the hot water temperature between 30 and 35 degrees.
- Install thermostats in the home to regulate the temperature in all rooms.
- Carry out a review of the gas installation to check that it is in good condition and consumption is efficient.
- Improve the insulation of the house.
