If you’re planning on going on holiday, there is a long list of things you have to consider. Not only do you have to sort out holiday insurance, passports and spending money, there’s also the question of what do you need to do to your house in order to keep it safe whilst you’re away. Whether you’re away for a weekend or two weeks, keeping your home safe needs to be taken into consideration. A question that is frequently asked is; what do I do with the heating? The answer depends on what time of year you are travelling. We’ve got the answers to ease your doubt when it comes to your heating.
Summer
If you are going away on a summer holiday, you can switch off your heating without any consequences to your home or the heating system itself. It may be that you have already turned off your heating as the weather is warm enough. So sit back, relax and enjoy your holiday without any worries.
Winter
If you are planning on leaving your house empty during the colder months, then we would suggest to keep your boiler on whilst you are away. This will ensure that your house is kept warm, giving the pipes less chance to freeze if the country has a cold spell, and it means you won’t return to a freezing cold house when you get home, which would not be fun for anyone!
However, in leaving the heating on we advise to turn it down from full power to around 16 degrees. This will enable your system to keep ticking over at an economical level. If you have a modern boiler it may have a frost or antifreeze setting which allows you to set a low temperature that will come on automatically.
A question of safety?
Many do worry that a leak may occur while they are on holiday which leads to turning off the gas. However, appliances built after 1996 are fitted with a safety device which make leaks unlikely. A gas leak always causes a specific smell which would be unavoidable to your neighbours.
We do advise that you keep up with regular boiler servicing to further reduce the likelihood of any leaks occurring. These should be undertaken at least every 3 years, but ideally once a year.
For more information on our drain services and how they can help you, get in touch with a member of the team by visiting our contact page or by giving us a call on 0800 849 8099.
