The thermostat debate – and saving you money on heating this Christmas

Never before has your boiler and heating system felt more important. December started cold and frosty, with temperatures into the minuses overnight. As hopes of a white Christmas soar, so do fears about energy price rises, and the inevitable in-fighting that goes on in homes across the country, as families hotly debate the correct temperature to heat your home to, when it drops below 5 outside. 

With a goal to both minimise your energy bills and maintain familial harmony as we approach the festive season, we’re here to settle the debate once and for all. 

Staying comfortable during the day

During extremely cold weather, a recommended indoor temperature is no less than 18 degrees Celsius (64 degrees Fahrenheit), provided you remain active. If you’re enjoying a good old Christmas slob around, you might like it a touch warmer. It’s also worth bearing in mind that babies and young children, as well as elderly visiting relatives might need to have their environments slightly warmer. 

And, at night 

When you’re asleep, or even away from home for a period of time, lowering the thermostat a few degrees can save you money. It’s also more environmentally friendly, as your home isn’t wasting precious energy by heating empty rooms. Setting the thermostat at 15-16 degrees Celsius (59-61 degrees Fahrenheit) during the night, and while you’re away from home, is often sufficient to prevent excessive heat loss without compromising on comfort, or risking frozen pipes. 

So there you have it, somewhere between 15 and 20 degrees Celsius, depending on the circumstances and the time of day, is where you need to set your thermostat. Staying on top of this could make you a significant saving in the long-run, and with bills threatening to mount come January, every penny counts. 

With cost often a driving force behind every thermostat warrior, here are a few other tricks that could help save you cash throughout the coldest of snaps this winter. 

• Make sure you check windows and doors for draught points and seal them up.
• Draw your curtains to keep the heat inside the room and keep doors closed.
• Service your boiler! This one is crucial. Faulty boilers are inefficient and will drive up energy bills no end.
• Check out our FAQs for tips on home heating health checks, like bleeding your radiators to make your boiler work better.

For more help on energy savings, or to speak to one of our home heating experts, just click here to get in touch with our friendly team.

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