Bit cold tonight and I put the heating on which made me think

[Postdog]

What's best - to have the heating on at a lower temp but on constant, or to have it on timed at a higher rate. Obviously I don't need it now (I only had it on for ten minutes to warm the place) but come winter - especially with prices now - it might be handy to know. BTW, the rads do have independent thermostats.

[Ethel]

The best thing is to put more clothes on!

If you are fit and healthy putting the heating on in August in ludicrous.

Anyway, come winter - it depends on whether the house is occupied all day, any very young or elderly occupants...

I am home all day, and a mobile pensioner. I have the heating on for one hour in the morning and an hour in the evening. I have a gas fire in my living room that I put on if needs be, and if it is very cold I turn the heating on 'boost' during the day.

[WendyS]

When I think back to my childhood where we only had one coal fire in the house and no central heating, the answer to keeping warm was to wear lots of layers of light clothing, and now energy prices are become so expensive I think we're all going to have to re-discover this method. If you're active and out all day I'd switch it on for an hour or so in the morning, and then again in the evenings. If your home is really well insulated the house will retain much of its heat.(Cavity wall insulation and extra loft insulation will make a world of difference to your heating bills. Draw the curtains in all rooms as soon as it gets dark to keep the heat in, even if you have double glazed windows. And in the evening, stand up in all the commercial TV breaks and do a few exercises. It will help keep the circulation going !

[Hellion]

The energy people say it is better at lower temp but constant, the other thing people do to 'save' money but actually doesn't is to turn radiators off in less used rooms. The boiler works the same whether you are heating 1 or 5 radiators. From an environmental point of view though more clothes and less heat.

[ianess]

Good answers about putting more clothes on......I totally agree that even in the first half of August it's still cool enough in the evenings to think about putting the heating on. Seems strange that it's still supposed to be the height of summer.
I've found an ideal solution is to fit a programmable room thermostat that can be set to different temperature levels at any time of day or night of your own choosing. This works in conjunction with the radiator thermostatic valves.
These are readily available in DIY stores and can be fitted in minutes.

[Plocket]

Good grief - where on earth do you live? Ok so it feels cool for August but you felt the need to put the heating on??? Put a jumper on - or jump up and down to get the circulation going!!!

I've absolutely no idea which heating method is more economical though - sorry.

[beejaybee]

Sorry, but some people feel the cold more than others. I feel it more than my husband. He can sit in our lounge with a t shirt on in winter, but I`m there with a jumper & socks. That`s with the heating on. I`ve found the last few days/evenings cold & put the heating on. My mum is 86 & has had the heating on quite a few days now.

[steviep165]

it has been cold up north the last few nights. especially after the hot spell we've jsut had.