ITV expert settles 'is leaving heating on all day best' debate

ITV expert settles 'is leaving heating on all day best' debate Many householders wonder when it gets cold if it's more efficient to keep the home warm all the time An ITV expert has finally settled the debate of if it’s actually cheaper to have your heating on low all day - rather than turning it up when you’re feeling cold. Consumer expert Grace Forrell who is a regular on ITV’s This Morning took to Instagram to discuss the issue. Many people think that maintaining a constant temperature is better than blasting the heating on much higher to heat up a cold house. But Ms Forrell said people make ‘three mistakes’ with how they use their heating. She explained: “Number one, keeping your heating on low all day rather than turning it on and off. Unless you have a heat pump, it’s almost always cheaper to turn it off when you’re not in and you don’t need it. So, use your timers so you don’t forget. “Number two, cranking your thermostat up to a high temperature thinking it will heat a cold house more quickly. Your house won’t get warmer any quicker by doing this, but it will push your heating costs up. Ensure our latest money saving headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings “And number three, using a hot water bottle and an electric blanket at the same time. This is a massive hazard, so don’t ever use them together. Pick one or the other.” It comes as people face soaring bills - the UK energy price cap increased by 3.6% (rounded to 4%) on 1 October 2026, bringing the average annual bill for a typical dual-fuel household paying by monthly Direct Debit to £1,723. Prices are predicted to rise by over 20% in January. The Energy Saving Trust maintains that keeping the heating running all day is the less efficient option. It recommends the simplest approach: heat your home only when required, meaning you pay solely for what you actually use. It said: “Generally, you should put the heating on when you start to feel cold. This is especially important if anyone in your home is an older person or someone with a medical condition.” On the question of if it’s better to leave the heating on all day rather than turning it off and on the EST said: “If you have a boiler, then no. Keeping your heating on all the time will use more energy and cost you more money. “It’s more energy efficient, and better for your bills, to have your boiler come on when you need it. But if you have a heat pump, then you can save money by leaving the heating on all day.” Appearing on This Morning this week Ms Forrell told hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard: “It’s really up to you when you choose to turn your heating on. From a safety point of view, you don’t really want to be sitting in a room that’s colder than 18° during the day. “And if you’re elderly or you have certain medical conditions, you want that to be a few degrees warmer is the minimum as well. But you can pick up decent room thermometers for around £10. You can get them on the high street or online and they can help you track the temperature inside so you know when to switch it on.” She had three rules about things people need to check: - Check your carbon monoxide detectors. Test the alarm and see if there’s an expiry date. We tend to use fuel-burning appliances more in the winter which increases the CO risk. - Bleed your radiators and give the insides a good clean. Air pockets and dust build up can both affect efficiency. - Service your boiler! If something goes wrong in the middle of winter you may pay a higher call-out fee due to demand AND you’ll be without warmth at the worst time. Catch any issues now, trust me. She explained: “Now is a really good time of year to do various checks. One is checking your boiler. Now, gas boilers should be serviced annually. So, if you haven’t had yours serviced in a while, now is the time to do it because if you wait until winter and it packs in, you’ll probably have to pay quite a high call-out fee because demand will be high and you’ll be without heating at the coldest time. "So, getting your boiler checked, it will just ensure everything’s working as it should be before you really start putting it through its paces. It costs around £100. Make sure you’re using an engineer who’s on the Gas Safe Register. And if you rent, your landlord is responsible for the gas safety checks and for maintaining your boiler as well.”