[wanda]

wanda asked the Naked Scientists:

My husband and I are having a debate. When I am the last person leaving the house I turn off the central heat and air. My husband says when you do that it takes so much energy to re heat or re-cool the house that you are usually better leaving it on and letting it maintain a nice temperature.

Who's right, my husband who leaves it on, or I who turn it off?

Wanda Zippler
North Augusta
South Carolina

What do you think?

[Bored chemist]

YOu are. I think this or something a lot like it was discussed somewhere else here.

[tr1]

A plumber doing some work in my house once told me it was more cost effective to leave the central heating on when I went out as he claimed that I'd use less gas as I wouldn't need to re heat the room when I returned.
Bit like saying if I drive at 150mph, I'll use half as much fuel as I would if I was doing 75 because I'll get to my destination in half the time

[paul.fr]

Last winter I had a whole new heating system put in to my flat, stupidly, nd without thinking it through, I listened to the plumber tell me that it was such an efficient system that I SHOULD leave the heating on 24/7. I did this until I got my first gas bill, It was many hundreds of pounds...4 times what my present bills are!