Should You Turn the Heating Off or Down When You're Out?

🏠 Should You Turn the Heating Off or Down When You're Out?

It's a common winter dilemma for homeowners:
“Should I turn the heating off completely when I leave the house, or just turn it down?”

You want to save money — but you also don’t want to come home to an icebox or risk frozen pipes.

Here’s the smart answer.

❄️ The Short Answer

In most cases, it’s better to turn your heating down, not off.

Turning it off completely might seem like a money-saver, but it can actually make your system work harder (and cost more) to bring the temperature back up — especially if you're only out for a few hours.

🧠 Why Turning the Heating Down Is More Efficient

Here’s how it works:

When your home cools down fully, your boiler has to use a lot more energy to reheat walls, floors, and furniture — not just the air.

By keeping your home at a low but steady background temperature (usually around 14–16°C when empty), you avoid:

  • Sudden energy spikes
  • Excess condensation
  • The risk of frozen pipes during cold snaps

This is particularly important in winter, especially in older or less insulated homes.

🕒 What If You’re Out All Day?

If you're gone for 8+ hours, it’s still smarter to turn it down, not off.

Use a programmer or smart thermostat to:

  • Lower the temperature while you’re out
  • Warm the house back up shortly before you return

✅ Pro Tip: Many smart thermostats use geofencing or learning modes to optimise this automatically.

🏖️ Going Away for a Few Days?

If you're heading away for a weekend or holiday:

  • Set the thermostat to 12–14°C
  • Keep heating on a frost protection or ‘holiday’ mode
  • Leave loft hatches or internal doors slightly open to improve circulation

This keeps your system ticking over and protects your pipes, especially in freezing weather.

💡 Energy-Saving Tips While You’re Out

Even with the heating down, you can save more by:

✅ Closing curtains and blinds to retain heat
✅ Sealing draughts around doors and windows
✅ Turning off individual radiators in unused rooms
✅ Using zoned heating (TRVs or smart radiator valves)

⚠️ When You Should Turn the Heating Off

There are a few scenarios where turning it off completely makes sense:

  • You're away in mild weather and there's no frost risk
  • You live in a highly insulated, modern home
  • You're leaving for an extended period (weeks/months) and the system is drained or protected with antifreeze

Even then, make sure pipes are protected and ask someone to check on your property during prolonged absences.

🔧 Smart Heating Makes It Easier

Modern heating controls like Hive, Nest, or Tado let you:

  • Control heating from your phone
  • Set schedules for different days or times
  • Monitor usage and spot inefficiencies

💡 Installing smart controls can save the average household £75–£130 a year, according to the Energy Saving Trust.

🏁 Final Thoughts

So — should you turn the heating off when you go out?

Usually not.
Turning it down to a lower background temperature is the most cost-effective and energy-efficient option — especially in colder months.

It keeps your home safe, reduces strain on your boiler, and avoids the cost of reheating a frozen house.

📞 Need Help With Smart Thermostats or Heating Efficiency?

At Gas-Go Heating, we help homeowners across Hampshire optimise their heating systems for comfort and cost savings.

✅ Smart thermostat installation
✅ Heating efficiency checks
✅ Boiler servicing and upgrades

📆 Send us an email for advice heating@gas-go.uk

Back to blog