Is it efficient to leave heating running?

We are regularly asked if it is ok to just leave heating running all the time.

Will my boiler run all the time if i do leave heating running permanently? The way we heat our houses is changing to reflect the way we live today. This is highlighted by the change in attitude towards baths and showers, with the majority of the population seeing the bath now as not really a necessity and the shower evolving into a full on massaging, steaming, lathering experience. In this way the hot water that we require and the boilers that supply this frequently used mode of getting clean have changed. This leads on to implications for the heating circuit and it is not necessary to have your boiler on anymore to get hot water. With the rise in showering frequency it has caused boilers to be more reactive and combination boilers now account for 80% of all sales. So if we do not need hot water all the time, do we need heat? In short the answer is no because people are far more at work, earlier and later and the control we have over central heating systems is far greater. The adoption of room stats to control the heating has meant that you are using temperature to create comfort. In previous times you just had a programmer and it would come on irrespective of outside or inside temperature. It is not ideal to also heat you house when you are not there and the sun rays and our new obsession with glass and viewing the outside has created some new heating issues. The question of whether to leave the heating on all day and is it more efficient is really down to the system and what sort of control you have. As suggested above there are quite a few variables in today’s society that impact on your heating. If you do not have a room stat then we would definitely suggest going and buy one today as they are easy to install and have temperature control in your house will definitely save you money. If you already have a room stat or temperature controls on your radiators then by setting a mean temperature or one that is a few degrees off what is a comfortable temperature for you then this allows your house to be kept at a regular warm temperature. It is more efficient to heat something that is warm rather than stone cold. Setting your room stat to a constant temperature of 18*C or slightly lower will allow your boiler to work more efficiently as when you require 20*C or above this will be easier target temperature to reach and much quicker. One type of heating does tend to be left on all day at a constant temperature and that is underfloor heating. Because this can take a long time to heat up it is better to leave this on to maintain a good room temperature. With anything it is what suits your home best and your habits but controlling your heating with a room stat is an easy option and it does not have to be digital or internet enabled as anything is better than nothing.