Should I Leave My Heating On When I Go on Holiday?

Winter holidays: leave it on low

If you are going away during cold weather, set the thermostat to 12-15°C rather than turning the heating off completely. This keeps the house warm enough to prevent pipes from freezing. A burst pipe from frozen water can cause thousands of pounds of damage - far more than the gas cost of keeping the heating ticking over.

What about the hot water?

If you have a combi boiler, the hot water only heats on demand so there is nothing to adjust. If you have a system boiler with a cylinder, you can turn the hot water off - there is no point heating a cylinder nobody is using.

Summer holidays: turn the heating off

In summer, pipes are not at risk of freezing so the heating can be turned off completely. Set the programmer to ‘off’ for both heating and hot water. There is no benefit to running the boiler while you are away in warm weather.

Should I turn the water off?

For holidays of a week or more, turning off the water at the stopcock is a sensible precaution. If a pipe fitting fails or a washing machine hose bursts while you are away, the water will stop once the pipes drain rather than flooding continuously. Make sure your stopcock turns freely before you go.

Smart thermostat tip

If you have a smart thermostat, use the ‘away’ or ‘holiday’ mode. This drops the temperature to a frost-protection level and lets you monitor and adjust from your phone. If a cold snap hits while you are abroad, you can turn the heating up remotely.

Checklist before you leave

1. Winter: Set heating to 12-15°C, check boiler pressure is between 1-1.5 bar
2. Any season: Turn off the water if away for 7+ days
3. Check for drips - a small leak left for two weeks becomes a big problem
4. Tell a neighbour - ask someone to check the house every few days, especially in winter
5. Check your home insurance - some policies require the heating to be on or the water off during winter absences