Is a Low and Slow Heating Strategy Cheaper...?!?

Now we're into proper winter and my heating is on more often I got to wondering whether my usual on-off method of heating is more cost efficient than just leaving the heating on all low all day...?

I usually do the following....

My general principle's are ' don't heat an empty house' and 'don't overheat at night'.

• Overnight - switch the heating down to 15.4 degrees (it hasn't gone below this yet in my house even with the heating off!)
• 6.30 - Switch the heating UP to around 18 degrees 15 minutes before getting out of bed.
• 7.15 - LOWER the heating when I go for a run.
• 8.00 ish - switch the heating back up to 19 degrees and then have a shower when the bathroom is TOASTY (19 degrees feels toasty enough for me!)
• Leave the heating around 18-19 when I'm in - on a wet day I generally feel the need to have it slightly higher.
• Switch the heating down to 15.4 when I head out to the co-working space or Citizens Advice.
• If I nip back for lunch for < 1 hour I generally leave the heating off, or I get back early PM and I'm doing circuits I'll leave it off.
• Switch the heating back up to 18 or 19 when I get in for the evening/ finish circuits. This is usually around 16.30
• Leave it on until I go to bed, unless I head out, in which case I'll turn it down to my good old 15.4.

All of this means that on a typical day the boiler has to kick in big style twice - once in the morning, and then again in the evening. Going for a quick run in the morning isn't enough time for the heating to drift back down significantly.

I can hear when the boiler's working - honestly it isn't on for that long even during cold days. Like I switched it on around 6.20 this morning, it heated for around 15 minutes, and it's been off for the last 30.

Also my last gas bill was relatively low. It'll probably be less than £120 for gas over the last month, and we've had some pretty cold weather.

My house is super well insulated too!

But maybe I could do better...?

According to Money Saving Expert whether to go 'low and slow' rather than 'on and off' with the heating really depends on your house and heating set up..

Reading through the material it seems that those with better insulation and more expensive, modern, heating systems involving heat pumps, under floor heating, or even just condensing boilers may actually be better off going low and slow - that is keeping the temperature at around 18 degrees.

Those living in poorly insulated brick buildings with older boilers would be better off only heating their houses when they are in.

This is not that surprising TBH... it makes sense that if you're heating devices are more efficient and your insulation better then your hourly outlay on heating is less, so topping up regularly is going to cost you less.

Whereas if you're in an inefficient set up you're just pumping heat into the sky.

I think I'm in the former category of good boiler, excellent insulation so I may try and experiment and just leave my heating at 18 degrees all day for a few days and measure the results...

What I like about the MSE sight is that it recommends YOU doing such an experiment - GOD DAMN IT THAT'S SOME GOOD SHIT! A free advice sight suggesting you DIY it and see what's right for you!

I'll have to pick some similar weather days, there are some coming up - with both heat and humidity the same, and then just record the results, and then just try and equalise my washing up to standardise the heating costs.

My gut feeling is that I'm going to get some very similar results!!!

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