There is a recurring error in the use of radiators that crosses borders and domestic routines and which, throughout the winter, can have a significant impact on the heating bill. The problem is not with the equipment, but with an apparently logical gesture: completely turning off the heating whenever you leave the house for short periods.
A habit that costs you when the cold hits
With energy prices at high levels, the thermostat has become one of the most used controls in everyday life. It adjusts up when it gets cold and down whenever the house is empty, often several times a day.
According to the Energy Saving Trust, a website specializing in energy efficiency, this behavior can generate higher consumption than a system maintained in a more stable way.
When the heating is turned off completely, the interior temperature begins to drop steadily. It’s not just the air that cools. Walls, floors and furniture follow this process, losing accumulated heat and gradually approaching the outside temperature.
Mistake starts on the way home
The critical moment comes on the way back. The feeling of cold leads many people to turn up the heating to maximum, hoping for immediate comfort. It is precisely at this stage that the system enters its most demanding regime. According to the same source, reheating a cold house is one of the most energy-consuming operations.
The boiler or heat pump is not just heating the ambient air. They must return heat to the building structure, including walls, ceilings and floors. This process is slow and prolonged, forcing the system to run longer and consume more energy than if it had maintained a moderate temperature.
In old buildings or those with poor insulation, energy technicians indicate that the on and off method can increase consumption by dozens of percentage points throughout the winter, creating cycles of intense cold and heating that penalize both comfort and the bill.
The alternative undergoes moderate adjustments
Avoiding extremes is the most efficient strategy. For absences of less than two or three hours, lowering the thermostat one or two degrees tends to be more effective than turning the system off completely. Keeping living areas at around 19 to 20 degrees during the day helps conserve the heat accumulated in the home and reduces the need for intense reheating.
Programmable thermostats and smart valves allow you to automate these adjustments, reducing manual interventions and maintaining a more regular consumption profile.
When the heat gets trapped
Another factor that contributes to waste is the way radiators are used in the space. Heavy curtains, sofas leaning against each other or clothes left to dry prevent hot air from circulating. The radiator continues to consume energy, but the heat is not distributed throughout the room.
In these situations, many people raise the temperature because they believe the system is insufficient, when in reality they are just heating an air pocket trapped between the radiator and the furniture.
Maintenance and ventilation make a difference
Radiators with accumulated air or systems operating at incorrect pressure lose efficiency without obvious signs. A simple purge and checking the boiler pressure gauge can improve performance all winter long.
Ventilation also influences consumption. Airing is essential, but keeping windows ajar for long periods allows treated hot air to escape to the outside. The recommended practice is to fully open the windows for a few minutes and then close them, preserving the heat of the walls and furniture.
In the final balance, the costs become clear. A household with an annual heating bill of around 1,400 euros could see the value increase by several hundred euros due to habits such as frequent switching on and off, blocked radiators and excessive temperatures.
According to , to reduce expenses and ensure more uniform comfort throughout the winter, small routine changes continue to be one of the most effective solutions.
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