It’s the time of year where you’re bound to have a holiday planned, you’ll probably be counting down the days to when you’ll get that much needed vitamin sea! Next to planning, arranging tickets, transport, money and passports. You may also be wondering what you should do with your heating while you’re away.
The answer depends on when you are actually going on holiday. As in the peak of summer, it isn’t necessary. You can switch off your heating to save money with the peace of mind you won’t have any adverse consequences in relation to your home or your heating system.
As for the winter, or in the colder times of the year then leaving your heating on is advised. Not only to keep your house warm and cosy so that you don’t have to worry about returning to a freezing cold home, but it also means it will prevent pipes from freezing. However, we would recommend to not leave your heating on full when there isn’t anyone there to enjoy it. Turning your thermostat down to an economical level will keep your house warm and be much more energy efficient. Also most thermostats have a frost setting and should be used if it has one to prevent water freezing and damaging the pipes. However, all pipes should be lagged with insulation to protect them from the cold - especially in a loft.
If saving money is your main concern, the good news is modern heating systems won’t use energy when there isn’t any need for extra warmth. Some you can program to only come on for a few hours each day and some can even be set to come back on the day before you return home. This helps especially when you are going away when the weather can’t decide, you can find out more about this in our blog ‘What is the best way to manage our heating in the unpredictable British weather?’
Another concern may be about your boiler leaking. But don’t worry, modern boilers are mostly safe, if they’ve been built since 1996 they’ll be fitted with safety measures and if you get your boiler serviced regularly there’s no need to panic. If you have an older boiler however, you may need to get your boiler serviced before you go away or turn it off while you’re away.
Why not speak to us today if you need further advice, or if you need help on choosing the best energy efficient radiators for your home?