Should You Heat the Whole House—or Just the Rooms You're Using?
Should You Heat the Whole House—or Just the Rooms You're Using? “If you’re sitting in one room, how much of the rest of your house are you paying to heat?” It is a question worth asking as the heating goes back on in October. Perhaps you spend the morning in a home office and the evening in the sitting room. Meanwhile, the spare bedroom, dining room and rooms once occupied by children are receiving much the same heating as they always did. In a larger home, that can mean keeping considerable amounts of space warmer than necessary. But turning off every radiator except the one beside your chair can create problems of its own. Cold surfaces, moisture and poorly matched heating controls can turn an apparent saving into discomfort, condensation or disappointing energy bills. The sensible approach is to give occupied rooms the warmth they need, keep the rest of the building in reasonable condition, and use controls that suit your heating system. Why Cooler Rooms Can Save Energy A hous...
