Households urged to avoid 5 costly mistakes with their heating system this summer

New guidance has been issued to help households save money over the summer months by avoiding common and costly mistakes with their heating system.

The advice comes as the Met Office reveals 2024 has been the UK’s coldest summer in ten years with households turning up the thermostat and spending more on their heating.

In response OFTEC, a registration body for off-gas grid heating, has outlined five common pitfalls households make which could increase their energy costs over summer.

Not adjusting your heating timers

During winter most households set their heating timers to come on more often. If you forget to adjust your settings over summer, you may not realise your heating is on more than it needs to be, which is an expensive mistake to make. If you’re out of the house or on holiday, remember to update your timers so the house only warms up when you need it to. It’s particularly important with the often cooler weather this summer as you may want to make changes more regularly.

Turning the thermostat up too high

When we have the odd cold day in summer or you get back from a holiday, it can be tempting to turn the thermostat up high to warm the house up. However, setting a higher temperature doesn’t warm the house up more quickly. What it will do is keep the heating on for longer until the higher temperature you set has been reached, which will cost more money. You typically want a room heated to around 22C.

Attempting DIY boiler repairs

Summer is a good time for those odd DIY jobs around the house, but that should not include your heating system. Boilers, in particular, are potentially dangerous if you attempt to make repairs yourself. Trying to save money with a DIY repair, rather than using a professional, often makes the problem worse and more costly. Heating repair and servicing is definitely best left to the experts.

Not having your boiler serviced

It’s important to have an annual boiler service and the summer is a great time to do this as technicians are typically less busy than in the winter months. Also, if your heating needs to be turned off for repairs, it’s less inconvenient to do it when the weather is warmer. Servicing will ensure everything is working correctly, help avoid costly breakdowns later in the year and increases efficiency, which will help reduce energy consumption and therefore your heating bills. Annual heating checks are also important if you’re selling your house, because buyers often want to see that the boiler has been regularly serviced.

Using an unqualified technician

If a tradesperson offers very low costs or suggests circumventing building regulations to save money, this should set off alarm bells. Cowboy tradespeople can potentially leave a dangerous heating system and expensive repairs. Make sure you use a qualified technician and ensure they are trained in your specific heating system. For liquid fuel heating systems such as heating oil, OFTEC technicians have undergone extensive training and are regularly inspected to ensure they uphold high standards. For mains gas systems, you should use a GasSafe registered technician.

Malcolm Farrow, of OFTEC, says: “It may see strange to think about your heating over summer but, if you ignore it, you may unintentionally rack up expensive fuel bills. Taking the time for some summer heating adjustments is a great way of saving money.

“It’s also important to have your boiler serviced as this is the best way to ensure everything is working as it should and helps avoid expensive repairs over winter. But remember to do you research and use a qualified technician who is trained for your specific heating system. It’s tempting to cut corners, particularly in the current cost of living crisis, but doing so risks creating even more expensive problems further down the line.”

To find an OFTEC registered technician, click here