How should we heat our house when we are away?

[EmBeEmBe]

We live in a late Victorian terrace and are leaving it for a week over Christmas, our first holiday in the winter since we moved in. I'm a bit unsure what would be the most cost/energy efficient way to sort the heating for that week. If I turn off completely do I risk burst pipes (had a clause in a rental contract about that once). It a pretty good system and the house gets warm fast when we turn on the heating, but it's on twice a day and for a long period. Is it so good at heating up quickly because the fabric of the house is still warm or is that a myth? Should we turn our water off? We're in london so I doubt it's going to be really cold. Odd question I know, but I'm still getting used to this house. Thanks

Put the heating on constant, and turn the thermostat down to about 15.

Pipes will only freeze if the temp drops below 0 for a day or 2. We are in New England and heat our house with a wood stove. The fire is lit in October and goes out in April. It's -14 outside and I get up in the night to put wood on the fire as I am paranoid about the pipes freezing

Do what BIWI said.

I would say the thermostat could go below 15. I'd probably go for 10. Especially if it's on all day and night.

I'd probably set it to go on 2 or 3 times a day - on at night, maybe off in the afternoon.

But don't shut doors so that rooms with water are cut off from the heat, in an attempt to stop draughts.

In extreme cold weather I put cheap electric heaters in the bathrooms using extension leads. They were on thermostats and set to say 5 degrees above freezing and on 24/7. So they'd only come on when it's v cold, then stay on until the rooms warms up. That way no frozen pipes. Could you borrow a heater for the kitchen and bathroom?

We also go away for a week in winter and always leave the heating on 24 hours in every room with doors open throughout. We leave it on 15 - yes, it is a bit of a luxury, but worth it for peace of mind.

It's not going to get cold enough to freeze pipes. Double check the forecast for when you're away then just turn the heating off.

I would leave it on at 10, constant, if only to ensure that it's not bitterly cold when you get back.
We are in London too, and were away for several days during the recent very cold spell. We had turned the heating right off and it was like an ice box when we got back.
Severely cold weather in London is unusual, so I wouldn't think that leaving it at 10 would cost too much.

Leave it on 10/11 deg from, say, 6am-9am, 12-2pm and again from 8-12pm.

That will be enough to stop pipes freezing and more economical than letting the house get really cold and having to hear it up again from nothing.

it's coldest in the middle of the night so heating should be on then.

To stop any worries I always leave the heating on constant at 15. Plus it doesn't take long to warm up when we get back.

What if you've only got an 'on off or times' boiler? No thermostat with my old one. Would you just turn the heating down to 'low' and set it coming on for a few hours twice a day?

The house will feel chilly anyway when you come back npbut I really think it's a waste to leave it at 15, but my opinion only.

Yello Yes

If you have it at ten degrees constantly , that is not that warm. I would leave it on fifteen and then the house will never get cold so won't be cold when you come back.

We have a second home in Scotland and leave it up to 3 weeks at a time. We leave the thermostat at 15 to come on twice a day. The boiler has a frost stat, so would come on if below zero. We shut all the doors to keep the heat and any radiant heat from sun (!) in. We have never had a problem over winter.

If you only want frost protection set your thermostat to 5degC and leave your heating switched manually on. The thermostat should hold off the heating whilst the temperature is above 5degC. This will be the least heating cost option. Don't worry about re-heating the property when you get home. You will save energy costs through the week with the thermostat down at 5degC.

We do as Tatey says.