With energy costs remaining high, it’s understandable if you’ve left it as late as possible to switch on your central heating. But while this might be good for your bank balance, leaving it too long can be bad for your home and health.
In this article, we’ll explore how to find the right balance when heating your home.
The problems not heating your house can cause
Before we jump into the stuff that keeps you warm and toasty, let’s look at the issues of keeping your heating off for too long:
- Hypothermia: This is a big danger, especially for older people. Sitting in the cold, even when wrapped in blankets, can be a serious risk to your health, resulting in pneumonia and, potentially, death.
- Damp: Damp issues can cause thousands of pounds of damage, and it can take months to dry damp out once it’s set in.
- Mould: A damp home can quickly turn into black mould, dangerous for anyone, regardless of age.
- Frozen pipes: A lack of heat can result in poor water pressure and burst pipes.
- Boiler problems: Frozen pipes can also cause damage to your boiler, giving you the added headache of expensive repairs.
However, heating your home when it’s cold can result in condensation, moisture and dampness, which is a happy breeding ground for mould growth.
So, how do you find the right balance?
Finding the right balance when heating your home
To make sure your home isn’t too cold or too warm, resulting in excess moisture, here is our best advice as to when and how to heat your home effectively:
1. The time of year you should switch your heating on
We advise around mid-to-late October. If it’s unseasonably warm in mid-October, leave it until it gets noticeably cold in your home.
If it’s below 15℃, that’s about the right time.
2. What time of day you should turn on your heating
It’s a good rule of thumb to set the heating to come on 30 minutes before you wake up.
Don’t leave the heating on all day, especially in rooms you aren’t in.
Set the heating to come on 30 minutes before you arrive home for work, and have it switch off 30 minutes before bed.
This way, you’ll save money and always feel warm.
3. Don’t sleep with the heating on
Warm rooms make sleeping difficult, so we don’t advise you to put the heating on through the night.
You could switch it on for half an hour during the early hours if it’s incredibly cold, but a good, thick duvet and hot water bottle should be enough to keep you snug most of the time.
4. The right room temperature during the winter months
The ideal “cosy” temperature for any room is 20℃ as this not only keeps you warm, but it’s energy efficient too. Keep your bedroom between 16℃ and 19℃ to ensure you’re not too warm or cold during the night.
5. The lowest temperature for rooms
Although 20℃ will keep you cosy, between 16℃ and 19℃ is the average temperature you should aim for. It’s advisable not to let any room, especially unused rooms, drop below 13℃.
How to reduce moisture in your home
Keeping your house warm comes with a major problem during the colder months: moisture. Do nothing about it, and it can lead to mould growth and damp.
Opening a window at the front and back of your property for 10 minutes each morning is advisable to let the moisture out and fresh air in.
Drying clothes becomes much harder during the winter, resulting in putting clothes on radiators. Again, this causes moisture in the air, so installing a ventilation system or using a good dehumidifier will help.
Do you need help maintaining your boiler?
Then speak to us.
By getting an annual boiler check with Charles Clark, you can ensure your boiler works efficiently during winter. Or, if the cold has already caused problems, we can fix it so your home stays nice and warm, even on the coldest days.
If you’re ready to book your service, get in touch today.
