It’s very nearly September and the nights are drawing in – is it time to turn on the heating yet?
No, it’s not quite time to turn on the heating yet. It’s the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, not winter. While it might get darker a bit earlier, September is not usually that much colder than August – and you wouldn’t tend to put your heating on in August.
The mean September temperature in Dublin city last year was 15.2 degrees and 15.6 degrees in Valentia, Co Kerry. That’s not sweater weather, not to mind heating weather. At least wait until the Halloween decorations are in the shops. Oh, wait...
If my willpower cracks, is there anything I need to know before turning it on?
Delaying switching it on until you really need it will be kinder to your pocket and the planet. Yes, there will be wet, dull days in the weeks ahead, but they may not actually be that cold.
But nostalgic for winter, you might pull on a jumper, pour yourself a glass of red, one thing leads to another and someone puts the heating on. Resist if you can. Once you turn it on, it’s hard to go back to keeping it off.
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About 60 per cent of our energy spend goes on heating, says the Sustainable Energy Authority Of Ireland (SEAI). Oil remains households’ dominant fuel, followed by electricity and gas. The average home emitted 4.6 tonnes of energy-related CO2 in 2022, most of it from heating.
How do you define ‘cold’?
Well, 18-21 degrees is comfortable for most people. Hallways and bedrooms can be cooler, between 15-18 degrees, says the SEAI. You’ll knock 10 per cent off your bill by lowering the temperature by one degree.
But I really do feel cold…
Longer term, would it be possible to insulate your attic, if you own your own home and have an attic? Heat rises and up to 30 per cent of your home’s heat, and your heating spend, is lost through your roof, if you live in a house with your own front door. Roof insulation median cost is €2,125, but an SEAI grant covers €1,400 of that. The payback from attic insulation is instantaneous. It’s one of the cheapest, but highest impact things you can do.
What about the folks in A-rated houses, will they be turning on their heating too?
No. People in A-rated homes don’t turn on their heating. They think of the idea of “turning on the heating” as quaint. A bit like covering the telly with a tea towel. Heat doesn’t get switched on in their homes, heat just is. They don’t have immersions either.
In fact, the insulation in their homes keeps the summer heat out, so this time of year, they are taking off their cardigans and switching to short sleeves.
Probably people in A-rated homes don’t feel the seasons at all. They need to buy a pumpkin spice latte to feel the change. I bet they miss turning on the heating.
And all joking aside, older and vulnerable people should not skimp on heating when the weather turns colder.