The warm weather is waning and we’re all prepared for the frost to come, which means you need to know when to switch on your heating so you’re cosy in the winter months.
Okay, so it’s only September right now, but soon it’ll be that time of year where we’ve stepped outside to unexpected bouts of snow and we’re totally unequipped.
Maybe you’ll be at work and when you walk home you’re met with a frosty air that reminds you of an ice rink, and instead of being de-stressed after a long day, you’re running to find anything big and fluffy to wrap around yourself.
Well, if your heating had been put on that morning or set on a timer for before you got home, that wouldn’t be happening.
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But as the Energy Price Cap is about to rise, people want to be warm and cost-effective in the UK.
You’ve only got until October 1 when the unit rate for electricity will increase to 24.50p per kilowatt-hour, and a standing charge of 60.99p per day.
Gas now has a standing charge of 31.66p per day, which means that you’re going to be paying around £149 extra a year for your bills.
It’ll last from October 1 to December 31 as Ofgem will announce a new cap every three months.
So, being conservative with your heating can be beneficial to your bank.
The Energy Saving Trust has shared that your home is recommended to be heated between 18˚C to 21˚C in winter.
The World Health Organisation also recommends 18˚C for healthy people, so if you notice a dip on your thermostat, it’s time to increase the heat.
The date you should consider popping the heating on is after the clocks go back, on Sunday, October 27, as this tends to be when the temperature shifts to chilly.
British Gas explained that most of their customers turn the heating on during the last week of October, according to MetroUK and assessed that when the nights are from below 9C for a ‘prolonged period’ of time, it’s a good idea to whack it on.
USwitch’s Natalie Mathie shared to the publication: “When you turn your heating on for the first time on a very cold day, you don’t want to find your system is not working efficiently.
“It may be worth turning your heating on ahead of time to test that your boiler is working properly, and if your radiators have cold spots and need bleeding.
“Consider getting your boiler serviced if you haven’t had one in the past 12 months. If a breakdown happens on a cold day, it may take longer to get a call-out.”
According to the Energy Saving Trust, to keep your home warm in the colder months, you should consider draught-proofing, insulating your pipes, bleeding your radiators, upgrading your boiler and insulating your walls.
It’s so hard to keep warm when the outside temperatures start to drop, so ensuring you follow the recommendations is key.
Britt Jones