Summer heating tips

While summer doesn’t seem like the time to be thinking about your heating, there are some things you should do to ensure you’re not either paying for electricity you don’t need to use or feeling cold early in the morning or late at night.

In our changeable Scottish climate, being able to rely on an efficient, on-demand heating system is indispensable at any time of the year. The Scottish weather isn’t reliable enough to guarantee wall-to-wall sunshine from May through to September. So you probably can’t simply switch off your electric heating entirely during that period. And our nights and early mornings tend to be on the cold side, even in summer. 

This is when electric heating trumps central heating because you can use a single storage heater or electric radiators to heat the room you sleep in. And you can switch on the electric panel radiator in your conservatory or summer house if you are awake early to relax or work.

Of course, the last thing you want to do is pay for energy you don’t need over the summer. And you definitely don’t want to have any issues when it comes to heating your home when autumn comes round again. 

So in this article, we’ll share some tips for managing your electric heating over the warmer months.

It’s simple to save money on your heating in the summer

Heating is one of the larger expenses in your household budget. On average, around half the energy bills of households go towards room and hot water heating. However, slight alterations to your heating system can eventually add up over the warmer months to help you save some money.

Adjust your comfort and economy temperatures

People often ask us if they should switch off their electric heating entirely during the summer. Sometimes this can be a sensible idea. However, here in Scotland, we do experience some colder evenings, nights, and early mornings. So, if you feel the cold more than most, why not keep your heating on and make some simple adjustments instead?

If you haven’t made any recent changes to your heating system or individual heaters, the chances are they might still be configured for winter use. Be sure to take your heating out of ‘winter mode’ so it doesn’t come on during the day.

You can adjust comfort and economy settings on most thermostats. If your winter comfort temperature is set to 21°C, taking it down to 18°C is all that’s required to ensure your heaters won’t kick in and provide additional heating on top of the warmth already provided by the summer sun.

Economy temperatures are typically used for background heating in less frequented rooms or for when it isn’t cold enough to warrant a higher temperature. To ensure your heaters aren’t wasting money and energy on warming empty rooms, it’s worth adjusting your economy temperature too. 

Set thermostats to a low but comfortable temperature for colder periods like cooler evenings, overnight and early in the morning. This will prevent energy from being wasted on heating your home at a time when nature itself provides plenty of warmth.

Turn your heating off altogether in the summer

If we are fortunate enough to get a stretch of hot weather this summer (maybe even a heatwave!), you should be able to switch off your electric heaters entirely.

If you do switch your heating off over the summer for any considerable length of time, we recommend turning it back on periodically to ensure everything is still functioning. This way, you won’t be in for a nasty surprise and repair bill in the autumn. Discovering a problem in summer is much easier than discovering one in winter when you need your heating the most.

Use panel heaters in small spaces, offices, conservatories, and garden rooms

Lightweight, portable, and easy to DIY install, panel heaters provide 24/7 programming, easy-to-use controls, and rapid convection heating. These kinds of electric heaters are ideal for bursts of heat on chilly summer nights.

While not suitable for continual use throughout the winter, small panel heaters like the Haverland RCBL or the Dimplex Saletto low profile panel heater are ideal as a low-level, energy-efficient way to provide a burst of heat for home offices conversions, conservatories, loft conversions, and garden rooms. You’ll be grateful to have them on a chilly summer’s evening or early morning, especially knowing they aren’t going to cost too much to use during the summer.

Invest in an electric towel rail

There’s nothing better than wrapping up in a warm towel after a shower. But of course, in summer, it’s likely that the heating in your house is off and your windows might be open, creating a bit of a breeze. Who wants to jump out of the shower into a cold room? 

This is where an electric towel rail is ideal – they are easy to control and efficient to run, heating up your bathroom at the right time, as well as providing you with a warm, dry towel when you need it most.

Plus, an electric towel rail is a very practical and stylish touch of sophistication for any bathroom.

Service your electric heating at the tail end of summer

If you haven’t been using your electric heating over the summer or have been using it only sporadically, it can be worth having heaters and radiators checked over before you begin to rely on it every day again. 

Many electrical failures begin with a warning sign. You may not know how to read those warning signs, but an electrician can. So start your summer with an inspection from a licensed electrician like us.

Conclusion

We hope this guide helps you stay cool and save money on your electric heating this summer. We know it’s not much fun to think about winter during the warmer months but as you can see, with a few simple tweaks, you can save money on your heating bills and ensure your heating system is in good condition for the start of the next cold season.

Now is the ideal time to upgrade your electric heating in plenty of time for autumn and winter. Use the links below to explore our range of modern electric storage heaters or use our heating design enquiry form to tell us if there’s anything you need for your home.

And you can always call our friendly team for advice about any electric heating on 01382 566942 (Mon-Fri, 9am to 5pm).

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