What is the Best Time of Day to Turn Your Heating On?

The short answer? The best time to turn your heating on in winter is an hour before you need warmth. 

So if you’re up at 6am with the larks, you’d want to schedule it to turn on at 5am. Or if you like walking into a warm home after work, set it to turn on at 5pm. The lesson to learn here: make your heating work around you, not the other way around.

Why does timing matter?

Heating eats the biggest chunk of your energy bill. Get the timing wrong and you’re either wasting the money heating an empty house… or you’re sat on the sofa in three jumpers waiting for it to kick in. Neither option is that appealing really. 

Morning vs Night: When’s the best time to heat your home?

• Morning people: schedule your heating to turn on about an hour before you get up. That way your bathroom isn’t an ice rink and the kettle doesn’t steam more than your breath.

• Evening warriors: If you’re out all day, set the heating to come on just before you get home. Nothing beats the feeling of walking into a warm home. 

• Night owls: You might be tempted to leave your heating on overnight. But unless your insulation is shocking, this is a complete waste of money. A lower steady temperature will take the chill off without rinsing your wallet. 

How long should your heating stay on?

Well, it all depends on your heating, and your house.

• Gas boilers tend to be slow and steady, so you’ll need them on for a few hours at a time to feel the benefit. 

• Night Storage Heaters need to be charged overnight on an Economy 7 tariff. So you’ll have to plan in advance to heat for the next day. 

• Oil-filled radiators may be portable but they’re painfully slow to heat a room, which can be expensive to run for a few hours. We’d recommend using them as a ‘quick fix’ rather than a heating solution. 

• Panel Heaters give instant heat while they’re on. Again these heaters can eat up your energy bills, as once they are turned off the heat is gone!

• NEOS Electric Radiators heat up in around 30 minutes, after that the natural stone core will emit heat without using electricity until the room temperature drops.

A Heating Expert’s Perfect Heating Schedule

If you want the sweet spot between comfort and efficiency, here’s the schedule our heating experts recommend:

• Morning boost: Switch on about an hour before you get up so the chill’s gone before your first coffee.

• Daytime pause: If the house is empty, don’t waste heat. Keep bedrooms and little-used rooms cooler.

• Evening comfort: Pre-heat your living space for when everyone’s home - usually an hour before.

• Night-time set-back: Drop temperatures down overnight, just enough to keep the chill off.

Think of it like meal planning for your home - timed right, you’re warm when you need it, and you don’t overspend when you don’t.

NEOS: the timing problem, solved

Older systems make timing everything. Get it wrong and you either pay through the nose or sit shivering. But the NEOS makes it simple:

• Stone core: Holds onto heat and releases it evenly.

• Smart thermostats: Set your schedule down to the minute from your phone.

• Octopus Cosy tariff: Cheaper off-peak power, without being chained to Economy 7.

In plain English: The NEOS warms up fast, stays warm without using constant electricity, and listens when you say “not yet”.

Quick wins for a warmer winter

• Shut doors to stop draughts.

• Drop bedrooms a degree or two lower.

• Don’t heat empty rooms (the dog will cope).

• Use smart energy tariffs if you can.

Our hot take on winter heating:

There’s no universal “best time” to whack the heating on. It depends on your day, your home, and your system. The good news? With the NEOS electric radiator, you don’t have to think about it. Set it, forget it, and enjoy the smug warmth of a home that’s always cosy when you are.

The perfect heating schedule starts with the right radiator.

With the NEOS, you don’t need to worry about when to switch on, it’s all handled for you. Designed and built in Britain, guaranteed for 25 years, and backed by our friendly Leeds team.

Winter Heating FAQs

What’s the best time of day to put the heating on?
The best time is about an hour before you need warmth. For example, around 6am if you’re up early or 5pm if you’re getting home from work. That way, rooms are cosy when you need them, without wasting energy.

Is it cheaper to keep heating on all day or just when needed?
It’s almost always cheaper to heat your home only when you need it. Even better, only heat the rooms you need! Keeping heating on low all day means paying for warmth in empty rooms - why not just pay for the rooms you need? Modern electric radiators heat quickly and store warmth, so you don’t need them running constantly.

How long should I leave the heating on for?
Gas systems often need 2–3 hours at a time, while panel heaters stop warming the second they’re switched off. NEOS radiators heat up in 30 minutes, then release stored warmth gradually, meaning you only need them on during the times you’re using the room.

Is morning heating better than evening heating?
Both have their place. If you’re home in the mornings, schedule your heating to pre-warm before you wake up. If you’re out until later, set it to kick in before you arrive back. The key is timing it to your lifestyle, not the clock.

What’s the most energy-efficient heating schedule?
The most efficient schedule is tailored to your day: pre-heat before use, drop to a lower “background” temperature overnight, and only heat occupied rooms. Smart controls make this easy to set up and adjust.

Tags: Tips.