Heating for home workers Part 2

We’ve now been conducting our heating experiment for two weeks and the verdict is that, in this house, keeping the heating on low all the time has very little effect on the amount of condensation produced by cold walls and single-glazed windows. The only thing that makes a difference is the outside temperature rising well above zero.

The amount of gas we used in the week over Christmas, which was exceptionally cold, was about 33% higher than the average of the three previous weeks when the heating was timed to come on twice a day. Because energy suppliers have such complicated tariffs it’s impossible to calculate how much extra we’ll be paying, and I’m afraid I can’t face the endless wait and enforced listening to Jack Johnson to find out. The house was certainly more comfortable at a constant temperature and so were we.

In the week from Christmas to today we’ve used about the same amount of gas as the three weeks before the experiment, as the weather has been so much warmer. Even the so-called experts can’t agree on this, it seems. A recent article in The Daily Telegraph generated plenty of adverse comment.

I must say I was pretty annoyed to receive a glossy full-colour mailing from our supplier before Christmas entitled ‘Manage your energy – information about how to cut your energy bills’ – with a notification of increased prices! I’m sure my immediate response was identical to most people – scrapping the mass mail-outs and cutting your prices would be a start.

So unfortunately not a conclusive result to our experiment and I’m just hoping we have no more freezing spells this winter. I’m told an amateur forecaster has predicted spring will start in mid-February this year so I’m clinging onto that as closely as my grey fleece blanket.