Leaving The Heating on Overnight Can Cost You: Here’s How

As the temperature drops during the winter, it can be tempting to leave the heating on overnight to stay warm. While toasty temperatures can impact your quality of sleep, leaving the heating on overnight will inevitably result in higher energy bills in the long run.

It may appear counterintuitive, but setting your heating to come on and off throughout the day during winter can actually improve your energy bills. Avoid gaps in keeping your home warm by setting your thermostat to turn the heating on during intervals throughout the daytime, night and early morning. Your home (and bank balance) will benefit from running your heating system with a consistent temperature, such as an energy efficient 18-21℃. The difference of turning it down by just 1℃ can save you £130 less energy!

Should you leave your heating on overnight?

The short answer is no — it’s rarely the most efficient or cost-effective option. But there are some exceptions, which we’ll explore below. If you’re in the midst of a cold snap or simply looking to save money on your energy bills before winter kicks in, keep reading to find out why (understandably) leaving your heating on overnight may be tempting. But don’t worry, a few smart tweaks around the home can make all the difference to staying cosy during a chilly night.

Reasons you might be tempted to leave the heating on overnight

You need to keep certain household members warm

If you have young children, elderly family members, or anyone who is unwell, you’re likely extra cautious about keeping the house warm at night. Cold bedrooms can feel uncomfortable or even risky for vulnerable family members, especially during winter.

Their comfort and health is most important, which is where room by room controlled heating comes into play. The Fischer wireless thermostat uses an internal sensor which measures the room temperature, so you can programme your heating system to warm at an energy efficient temperature and exactly when your household needs it.

This means only the rooms you need to heat will be warm. Plus you can adjust the settings to warm the home first thing in the morning – no more waking up to a cold house as you start the day!

You want to reduce the risk of frozen pipes

If warm water doesn’t flow through your heating system, in really cold temperatures the pipes can freeze – it’s one of the most serious consequences of leaving your heating off completely. When the temperature falls below zero degrees Celsius, water in your pipes can freeze and expand, causing them to burst and damage your home – a costly expense no-one needs during winter.

However, to keep your energy bills low and prevent the pipes from bursting, the key is ensuring warm air circulates around your home – making sure components of your heating system are well insulated too.

Using a thermostat, set the radiators to heat your home at periodic intervals, maintaining a consistent temperature between 18°C and 21°C. This can help avoid sudden cold snaps, which can cause the pipes to crack and split.

For more peace of mind, ensure your pipes are insulated in particularly cold areas of the home like the loft, basements, in the garage and across exterior walls. You can buy foam pipe sleeves or fiberglass wrap for cost-effective coverage, sealing the valves with tape to block cold air from producing condensation (which could freeze).

On very cold nights, open cupboard doors under sinks to allow warm air to circulate around the pipes. If you have a water tank, wrap it in insulation for extra protection.

Your home is well insulated, so it’ll keep the heat in…

Even in well-insulated homes, heat escapes. Overnight, outdoor temperatures drop significantly, so your heating system has to work harder to maintain a warm indoor temperature – you’re paying to fight against natural heat loss.

Rather than heating your entire home while you’re tucked under a warm duvet, it’s smarter to reduce the temperature overnight and use controlled heating or alternative options like a blanket, draft excluders or a hot water bottle if needed.

Other small steps to combat the cold include:

Drawing the curtains. As soon as the night starts drawing in, pull your curtains closed as this too can prevent heat from escaping.
Keeping doors shut. Prevent cold drafts by keeping each door shut where possible.
Draft proofing external doors. Add brush strips and self-adhesive weatherproof strips to close gaps where warm air can escape.

The one exception of leaving your heating on overnight

Keeping a heat pump running steadily, rather than constantly turning it off and on, actually saves energy. Air source heat pumps are designed to work most efficiently when they maintain a consistent indoor temperature, drawing heat from the outside air and transferring it indoors.

If the system is switched off and on regularly, it has to work harder to catch up, which uses more energy and increases the cost of running it. By letting it run, the heat pump operates in its optimal range.

With the heat pump running constantly, your job is to think about managing the internal temperature of your homes’ radiators using a room by room control thermostat.

So, is leaving the heating on overnight worth it?

While it might seem like the easier option, leaving the heating on overnight is rarely the most energy efficient or cost-effective choice for most households. From increased energy bills to unnecessary heat loss, the downsides often outweigh the benefits, especially when there are smarter ways to keep your home warm and safe.

By using thermostats to schedule the heating to come on at peak times, insulating your home properly, and adjusting heating room-by-room, you can stay comfortable throughout the night without causing your energy bills to spike. So instead of heating your whole house as the nights get colder, focus on efficient, targeted warmth in rooms that really need it.

What’s the best heating schedule for winter in the UK?

The best heating schedule for the winter period in the UK depends on your home, insulation, and energy tariff. For most households, using a timer to run the heating for a couple of hours in the morning and evening, combined with a steady 18–21℃ when you’re at home, is more efficient than leaving it on all day or overnight.

When’s the cheapest time to put heating on?

If you’re on a time-of-use tariff (such as Economy 7 or a smart tariff), the cheapest time to put heating on is typically during overnight or other off-peak hours, when electricity rates drop. However, simply running traditional systems at these times isn’t always practical – they don’t store heat well and often waste energy.

That’s where Fischer’s smart electric heating systems make the difference. Our wireless thermostats and heat-retaining radiators let you schedule heating to align with lower-cost periods, while still delivering warmth exactly when you need it. By storing and releasing heat efficiently, Fischer systems turn off-peak energy into long-lasting comfort, helping you save money without the drawbacks of conventional heating.

For more information on how to heat your home more efficiently, speak to our experts who can talk you through our range of electric heating solutions.