Save energy: should you really turn off the heating when you’re away?

With winter approaching, temperatures continue to drop and the question of managing the heating returns. When to use it, at how many degrees and for how long? You need to know as much as possible to save money. However, do you know whether to lower it when you are away? We take stock.

Turn off or leave the heating on?

Florence Clément, coordinator of the general public and young people center atAdemeinterviewed by West Franceadvises not to turn off your heating completely when you are away for the day.

According to her, turning it back on causes a “energy power call“, because the radiator then operates at full capacity at a time when the electricity consumption of the French is maximum, which can cause problems on the network and lead to overconsumption.

The recommended option is to lower the heating at 16°C during the day to maintain minimum heat, then raise it to 19–20°C in the evening,”which means that we only have to recover 3°C“, to ensure optimal comfort without unnecessary waste.

If your house is poorly insulated, you should not completely cut off the heatingbecause heat escapes quickly. For a weekend or a longer absence, it is better to use the “frost-free“, which keeps the house at around 8°C and protects your pipes.

On the other hand, if the home remains warm during the day and the weather is mild, you can turn off the heating and turn it back on in the evening: you will only need to recover 2 to 3°C to be comfortable, especially if your house is well insulated.

To know if your home is poorly insulated, observe a few simple signs: cold constant indoors despite mild outside temperatures or consistently cold walls often indicate poor insulation.

The age of the building also gives an idea: constructions before 1974 had limited insulation, while more recent ones generally benefit from stricter standards.

Even in modern homes, old insulation can lose its effectiveness and need to be replaced. The energy performance diagnosis (EPD) is another useful tool, since it classifies homes from A to G according to their insulation and energy consumption.

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