Citizens Advice share ’30 minute rule’ to avoid wasting money on heating bills this winter

Timing your heating effectively can help save money

As the days get shorter and temperatures begin to drop, many households will soon turn their attention to keeping their homes warm. With darker mornings and evenings and more time spent indoors, heating becomes important as winter approaches.

However with energy costs a concern for many, knowing when to switch your heating on and off could help you manage your energy use more effectively.

Citizens Advice has shared some simple advice on how to make the most of your heating, helping you keep your home comfortable without heating it unnecessarily when you’re out or asleep. According to the charity, one of the easiest ways to manage your heating is to think about when you actually need it.

For example, if you’re out at work during the day you could set your heating to switch off while you’re away. However, it is worth noting that homes take time to warm up and cool down.

If you’re unsure how long your home takes to reach a comfortable temperature, Citizens Advice suggests switching your heating on around 30 minutes before you need it, and turning it off around 30 minutes before you no longer need it.

They also suggest adjusting these timings depending on the size of your house, or the type of building you live in.

Additionally, during the peak of winter your house may take longer than usual to heat up, so it is advised to bring your heating schedule forward.

When the weather starts warming up, it is important to change your timings back so you’re not wasting money and using more heating than necessary.

How you programme your heating will depend on the controls you have, but the general advice from Citizens Advice is straightforward.

Your heating should be set to reach a comfortable temperature when you’re at home and awake, and a lower setback temperature when you’re out or asleep.

Scheduled heating example

The Citizens Advice has an example of the heating schedule and timing on their official website, which makes it easier to understand. There advice states:

Sam has a programmer and a separate room thermostat. On a normal day, Sam gets up at 6am. She leaves her home at 8am to go to work.

Sam sets her room thermostat to 18 degrees Celsius. She leaves it set at this temperature.

Sam sets her programmer to:

• turn the heating on at 5:30am – this means her home is warm when she wakes up
• turn the heating off at 7:30am – this means her home isn’t kept warm while she’s out

Sam gets home at 6pm. She goes to bed at 10pm.

Sam sets her programmer to:

• turn the heating on at 5:30pm – this means her home is warm when she’s at home
• turn the heating off at 9:30pm – this means her home isn’t kept warm while she’s asleep

For more advice on managing your heating, visit the official Citizens Advice website.