Learning the best way to use your heating system will help cut energy usage
Explore our latest advice below and access guides on how to programme the system in your home.
It's important that we know if there are any problems with your central heating, so if you are a Thrive customer, please let us know as soon as possible if you notice a fault.
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Other ways to save energy in your home
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Your programmer sets different times for your heating to come on during the day, this will help you to control when and how much energy you use.
If you tend to be at home most of the day or are in and out:
- Set your programmer to turn on 20 minutes before you get up and 20 minutes before you go to bed.
- Set the TRV higher in rooms where you spend more time and lower in unoccupied rooms.
If your home tends to be empty most of the day:
Follow the 20 minute rule:
- Turn the heating off 20 minutes before you leave the house or go to bed.
- Set a timer so your heating turns on 20 minutes before you get up or get home.
If you have a combination boiler system, your hot water will heat as and when you use it.
If you have a hot water tank, you can time when your hot water heats to save on energy.
- set the water to heat an hour before you plan to use it
- try to use all the hot water you need in one go so your tank isn't continually using energy to re heat it.
- make sure your tank stops heating the water when you don't need it, for example once you have finished using the shower.
We recommend setting your boiler temperature between 60°C - 70°C and only turn this up in the depths of winter when it is extremely cold.
Turning down the temperature of your boiler can save on energy use. Setting the temperature too high means your boiler can't run as efficiently as it can't recycle waste heat (condensing).
Click here to learn how to adjust the temperature on your boiler.
If you have a combination boiler (without a hot water tank) your heating system will either have a timer (right image below) on the boiler or a programmer (left image below) where you can schedule when your boiler comes on or off.
For other appliances, turning them off can save on energy use, however we do not advise you to turn your boiler off at the mains. Instead, use your timer to turn on your heating system when you're at home.
Click on the control you have in your home:
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You control the temperature of your home using your room thermostat.
The average comfortable room temperature is 18°C so we recommend you start with this temperature and turn it up by one degree each day until you find a temperature you're comfortable with.
Keep in mind that by increasing this by just 1°C will add 10% to your bill, so it's best to try and keep your room thermostat at the lowest temperature that you are comfortable with.
If someone in your household is elderly or vulnerable, the advice is to not let the temperature drop below 16°C.
Room thermostats need a free flow of air to sense the temperature accurately – they must not be covered by curtains or blocked by furniture. Nearby electric fires, televisions or lamps could also stop them from working properly.
Learn how to use your room thermostat
You and your home need a healthy balance of heat and ventilation.
Thermostatic Radiator Valves (TRVs) control the temperature of individual radiators (1 being low and 5 being high).
- All TRVs should be set to at least 1 to help prevent damp and mould.
- Set the TRV higher in rooms where you spend more time and lower in unoccupied rooms.
Feeling chilly? Check if you need to turn your TRV up before turning the heating up on the thermostat!
Learn how to set your TRVs
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Combination Boiler
A Combination boiler has two ‘combined’ functions, it generates both your hot water and central heating from a single unit.
Click here to find out more.
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System Boiler
A hot water cylinder main purpose is to store pre-heated water and keep it hot for use across your home.
Click here to find out more.
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Electric Heating
Storage heaters are a type of electric heater that store heat during the night using cheaper off-peak electricity and release it during the day. They are designed to work with energy tariffs like Economy 7 that have different prices for electricity at different times.
Making sure you are on a two-rate electricity tariff, such as Economy 7 or Economy 10, allows you to get cheaper electricity rates at night. You can check your energy bill or contact your supplier to find out what tariff you are on and what the off-peak hours are.
How can you maximise your storage heater efficiency?
This is so your heater can store the maximum amount of heat during the night.
Turn it to low during warmer months, so you don’t waste electricity and overheat your room. If you don’t need any heat during the summer, you can turn the storage heater off at the wall.
This is so you don’t lose heat overnight. Turn it up gradually during the day when you need more warmth. Avoid turning it up too high or too often, as this will deplete the stored heat faster and make your heater less efficient.
The boost switch uses peak electricity to provide extra heat. Only use this when absolutely necessary, such as in the middle of winter or when you have guests.
Don't put things too close to it, as this can block the airflow and cause a fire hazard. Keep at least a 15 cm gap between your heater and any furniture, curtains or other objects.
How to set up your storage heater efficiently
Storage heaters are designed to store heat during off-peak hours (usually overnight) and release it during the day. Setting them up correctly can help you save energy and reduce costs.
- Make sure you’re on an Economy 7 or similar off-peak tariff, which offers cheaper electricity at night.
- Confirm the off-peak times with your energy provider.
Most storage heaters have two main controls:
- Input (Charge): Controls how much heat the heater stores overnight.
- Output (Boost): Controls how quickly the stored heat is released during the day.
- Cold weather: Increase the input setting so the heater stores more heat.
- Mild weather: Reduce the input setting to avoid wasting energy.
Tip: Adjust gradually based on the forecast rather than making big changes daily.
- Keep the output low or off overnight to prevent heat loss while you sleep.
- Increase the output during the day when you need warmth.
- Turn it down when you leave the house to conserve heat
- Ensure the heater is charging during off-peak hours only.
- If your heater has a timer, set it to match your off-peak schedule.
- Don’t leave the output high overnight, it wastes stored heat.
- Don’t set the input too high in mild weather, you’ll pay for unnecessary energy.
Getting the best out of your storage heater:
Air Source Heat Pumps
A simple guide to getting the best from your air source heat pump
Air source heat pumps work differently from gas boilers, but once you get used to them, they can keep your home comfortable while using less energy. This guide explains how to use your system day‑to‑day and how to help it run efficiently.
Step by step guide to help get started
- Find your main controls: This is usually a wall thermostat or a smart controller.
- Check your radiators: They may feel warm rather than hot — this is normal.
- Locate the outdoor unit: Make sure you know where it is so you can keep it clear of leaves and debris.
- Choose a steady temperature, usually between 18–21°C.
- Heat pumps work best when they maintain a temperature rather than heating in short bursts.
- Avoid using “boost” unless absolutely necessary — slow and steady is more efficient.
- Unlike a boiler, your heat pump prefers to run continuously at a low level.
- Don’t switch it off overnight or when you go out for a few hours — reheating from cold uses more energy.
- If you’re away for longer, use the holiday mode if your system has one.
- Set up a simple schedule that matches your routine.
- If you have smart controls, allow them to “learn” your home — they’ll adjust gradually for efficiency.
- Avoid big temperature swings; small adjustments work best.
- Check regularly for leaves, snow, or anything blocking airflow.
- Keep at least 30 cm of space around the unit if possible.
- Good airflow = better performance.
- Bleed radiators if you notice cold spots.
- Keep indoor filters clean (if your system has them).
- Make sure nothing is covering radiators — they need space to release heat.
- Radiators will feel warm, not hot — this is how heat pumps save energy.
- The outdoor unit may make a gentle humming sound.
- In cold weather, you might see steam — this is just the unit defrosting.
If your home isn’t reaching the set temperature, check:
- Are radiators open?
- Is the outdoor unit clear?
- Are filters clean?
If problems continue, contact us and we can help.
Everyday tips to use your heat pump efficiently 
Set a steady temperature
Keep the thermostat between 18-21 degrees and avoid big temperature changes. Heat pumps work best with slow, steady heating rather than sudden boosts. If you increase to a higher temperature like 25 degrees, the back-upback-up strip heaters will run, and this may cost you more money.
Let its run continuously
Don’t keep turning the system on and off, heat pumps are most effective when maintaining a stable temperature instead of reheating from cold so let the heat run continuously. Turning the system on and off may cost more to run.
Use your controls wisely
Use smart or programmable controls to adjust gently and save energy, you can set schedules rather adjusting manually.
The most efficient settings to use are:
Mode: Heat (not ‘auto’)
Fan: Auto
Temperature: set this 1-2 degrees lower than you want it to be, the temperature increases when recovering
If your heat pump has a ‘quiet mode’ or ‘eco mode’ leave this on, you won’t notice much of a difference, but it may affect the cost of running.
Defrost cycles
Every few hours in cold or wet weather, the heat pump will stop heating and blow cold air for 5-10 minutes and steam will come out of the outdoor unit. This is normal for the system to run effectively.
Keep the outdoor unit clear
Remove leaves, snow, or debris: A clear outdoor unit helps the pump breathe and work efficiently. Allow good airflow around the unit and avoid blocking it with bins, plants, or garden furniture.
Why your radiators feel cooler
Heat pumps run at lower temperatures than boilers, so radiators may feel warm rather than hot. This is normal and part of how they save energy.