As a severe cold snap grips the UK, bringing temperatures as low as -10C and snow to areas like Birmingham, financial expert Martin Lewis has stepped in to settle a burning household debate. The founder of MoneySavingExpert.com (MSE) has compiled crucial advice on whether Brits should keep their central heating running constantly or turn it on only when needed.
The Core Advice: Heat When You Need It
The MSE team, having gathered research from the Energy Saving Trust, British Gas, an independent plumber, and thousands of social media comments, concludes that leaving your heating on all day is generally not cost-effective. This approach leads to greater overall heat loss from your property and, consequently, higher energy bills. The Energy Saving Trust strongly supports this view, stating it is more efficient and cheaper to heat your home only when you require warmth.
The "Low and Slow" Exception
However, the advice is not entirely one-size-fits-all. A heating advice group called Heat Geek suggests an alternative method may work well in specific circumstances. Their "low and slow" approach involves maintaining a steady, low temperature of around 18-19C throughout the day.
This strategy is deemed potentially suitable for households where someone is at home most of the day and which are equipped with a modern condensing boiler or a heat pump. For these systems, maintaining a constant background heat can sometimes improve efficiency compared to frequent, large temperature swings.
How to Find Your Best Method
Given the conflicting guidance, Martin Lewis's MSE offers a practical, evidence-based solution for consumers. They recommend households conduct their own experiment to see which method works best for their specific home and lifestyle.
The suggested test is to try each heating strategy for one week and compare the energy usage. Crucially, you must take meter readings at the start and end of each trial week and ensure the outdoor weather conditions are roughly similar for both periods to get a fair comparison. This personalised test can definitively show which approach keeps your home comfortable for the lowest cost.
The guidance comes as millions across the UK turn up their thermostats to combat the first major freeze of the season, seeking ways to manage soaring energy costs while staying warm.
