Heating on low all day- experiment

[User129867588]

Not sure anyone will find this useful as I know we all have different houses and boilers etc, but I trialled having my heating on all day yesterday, reduced my thermostat to 18 degrees and I spent the same on gas as previous day when the heating was on 18.5 but only on for just over an hour in morning and then for 3 hours in evening! Both days the temp on my thermostat after boiler being off all night was 14.5 degrees 🥶

House is a 2 bed semi, mid 1980’s build. Double glazing that’s over 10 years old and some getting replaced soon. House had insulation added but again that was about 15 years ago.

As seen on pictures the main expense on the gas was when heating first came on and then around tea time. I cooked on my gas hob and then all 3 of us had showers and we use a mixer shower connected to boiler for hot water. I’m with EDF on the variable rate.

I’m doing it again today and if it stays around the same I don’t see any reason for me to work in a cold house in the daytime when it costs the same (or just a tiny bit more) to heat most of the day! I can manage with 18 degrees too and still wear a jumper and extra thermals. Last years 20 degree heat is but a distant memory…….

Yes so 24/7 as in thermostat controlled same temp maintained all day all night.

The higher the flow rate the less efficient the boiler if you have a combi. But sometimes it needs to be higher if you have a very leaky house.

If flow rate is on max - say 75? Then the radiators should be super hot to touch. To the point where you wouldn’t want to hold for too long. If not that hot then there is a problem.

It looks like you had a 'long burn' early in the morning to bring it back up to 18.5°C. Have you tried a day where you leave it at 18.5°C overnight as well? It would be interesting to see if your total daily consumption (gas meter 'units used', not 'boiler hour's') stays roughly the same.

Thermostat set 18' 6am-6pm, 19' 6pm- 8pm (kids bath and bedtimes) and 16' 8pm- 6am.

So I have continued to monitor my usage daily and in this cold snap, the usage has only increased by 1 cubic meter of gas, which is about £1.30. So total usage at present is under £6/24hrs. House is comfortable despite the frost remaining on the ground for the whole day.
I realise I'm very lucky, the house seems to hold the heat and we're in a position where this is affordable with a little room for any artic weather to come.
I really don't understand how this experiment is costing others so much? I know I have a stove but that only warms 1 room until the heat radiates in the late evening, and the thermostat is nowhere near this room so isn't affected by it. The thermostat is also placed in a position that catches a cold blast from the passageway to the downstairs loo.
I visit vulnerable adults (mainly eldery) daily and I worry about the situation we are now in, in 2022! Almost unfathomable.

I've had mine set to 18° from 7am until 9pm all week as an experiment and it's only cost slightly more than having it set just to come on 7am-9am @18°
Then down to 17° rest of the day.
It was sunny here yesterday so it retained the temperature well all day reaching 23° without the heating clicking back on.
Not sure if I'm brave enough to try it at 18° 24/7 but it does make sense.
I guess the 2hrs it needs to be on for initially would just be spread across the night.

4 bed detached 25 year old house. Yesterday energy was £12 ! Can’t do that long term. Weekends cost more because there’s atleast one of us home with the kids. Tv on mostly during the weekend all day.

We turn the heating on in the morning, about 6.30. The temperature in the house was just 12c, the heating was off in the night.

It was on for about 2 hours and cost over £3.
Id like to leave it on 18c, but the boiler would just keep coming on when the temperature drops, surely costing us more money ?

We’re having a cold snap so the house is battling the cold temperatures. I’m not sure what’s going to happen when heating costs go higher again and there’s no going to be help for everyone.

Its criminal that we’re all in this situation and we can’t just blame Putin.

@Catlady2021 Have you tried leaving it on at 18? Even if it keeps coming on it only needs to climb in temp from just under 18 so the boiler won't need to work as hard and may be more cost effective (and perhaps don't let it drop as low as 12 overnight).

Its criminal that we’re all in this situation and we can’t just blame Putin.

Agree.

I've used £4.40 of gas up to half twelve today, heating on to 18° from midnight to now.

So if I keep the thermostat at 17/ 18 c permanently, it could be work out cheaper than putting the heating on and off? If someone’s at home that is.

So at night keep the thermostat on, rather than letting the house completely get cold ?

Im so confused by conflicting answers..

Will energy prices ever lower to more affordable levels?

Its unforgivable that governments past and present and done next to nothing to think about our domestic fuel.

France wouldn’t allow prices to go up 300 or 400%. Why’s it ok for us to pay it ?

@Catlady2021 It works for us, but may not for others. I think the consensus seems to be that if it does cost more to leave on all the time, the difference in price is negligible. If you keep turning it on/off you're also losing heat quite quickly and the boiler has to work hard to climb to 18 again from a very low temp. Whereas it feels more comfortable if it's maintaining a temp around 17/18 all the time and just clicking on when it drops below that temp. Overnight we turn down the thermostat to 14 but keep at around 18 during the day. (We even find 16/17 keeps us warm enough). But we work from home a lot, so if we were out for long periods this probably wouldn't be the best system for us. A lot depends on the efficiency of your boiler as well and the flow temp etc.

Does anyone else think it’s extortionate paying £11-£12 per day on energy . I can’t lower it anymore on weekends and days I’m at home , I’ve tried.

We’re pretty frugal but not bonkers about it and ours is getting near £10 a day now. I can’t do a lot else to keep it down without us all living in abject misery.

So depressing.

I honestly think lots of people are going to freeze to death this winter. Honestly I do.

Do.you have a "warm bank" you can go to @Catlady2021 ?

Don’t know about the warm bank. I wouldn’t say I’m in poverty, just our bills have gone up a lot. Plus I can’t really take two children on a Saturday , I think they’d be bored.

www.warmwelcome.uk/#find-a-space if needed.

I like the suggestion of checking my actual gas meter instead of relying on boiler hours from the hive. So I’m hoping to do the experiment again over the next few days

How is everyone getting on? I’m still
keeping mine on all day between 17-18 each day for around 12 hours and so far in the colder weather it has gone up just over a pound per day- not complaining! I may try it on overnight if it keeps so cold as been waking up to around 12.5 in morning brrr

Well although it's been much colder this week and it's snowed yesterday and today, it's cost about £1 more a day I think to have it on at 18° from 8am-9pm
Previously I had it set to 07.30-09.00 ish then coming on again for an 2hr in the evening.
We wfh. It's been worth it.
I'll get the full picture by tomorrow.
If I were commenting it would cost me £6 to park/lunch so it's a £1 well spent.

Oh I only skim read your last post @User129867588
Looks like we're about the same.

Commuting not commenting!

Well, despite saying I wouldn't touch the thermostat, I had it lower than usual this morning, with that and the higher nighttime temperature, the heating has only been on in short stints and so far equates to about £4.60 according to the smart meter.

Which, full disclosure, is less that the svr as we are on a fix with gas at 6.5p/kWh.

Mines equating to be about £1 more and actually lowered the thermostat to 17.5' during the day as I found this was fine and the stove has been lit in the living room. I'm happy with that, we're not miserable and numb.
It's been a very interesting experiment. Im learning that we can get by just fine reducing things.
I just feel sad for those who have found the cost beyond affordable. I hope solutions are found in the coming weeks as I fear what the new year will bring.

I have also found that reducing the temperature down from the 20 we had last year is doable and we am just wear extra layers. I wish we didn’t have to make these choices though and really feel for those who are struggling or unable to heat their homes more often. It really sucks!