For people who use their heating only in colder months, October is the most popular month for turning on heating. Thirty three per cent of the people surveyed chose the month in which the clocks turn back as the time to re-ignite their heating. However, 3 per cent of people have the heating on all year and 23 per cent wait a few weeks and turn the heating on in November.

We like our homes to be 20-21 degrees centigrade in the winter and our living rooms to be the warmest room in our home. Twenty per cent of us have the heating on for four to five hours a day, but 15 per cent of us have the heating on for more than eight hours a day during the winter.

A cold-blooded 10 per cent of us like our homes to be less than 20 degrees centigrade during the winter. And 2 per cent of the people surveyed have their heating on for less than an hour a day during winter.

When it comes to energy efficiency, a massive 92 per cent of us think that energy efficiency is significant or very significant when choosing an appliance for our homes. Fifty three per cent of people also agreed with the statement ‘I am actively trying to reduce the amount of energy I waste in the home’.

Despite our good intentions, however, 35 per cent of us have programmed our heating to switch on in the evenings, but have returned home late. Similarly, 29 per cent of us heat rooms that we don’t spend time in and 20 per cent of us open windows while the heating is on.

Mark Wilkins, a renewable technology expert at Vaillant said: “The survey does reflect that this time of the year when the clocks turn back is a busy time for heating engineers. And if someone is reviewing their heating, the next thing they usually want to know is about energy efficiency. Such questions are welcomed. We have some very exciting technology. Our biggest job at the moment is to keep people informed of their options.

“Legally, unless you have an exemption, you can only buy boilers that are either SEDBUK A or B rated. But we recommend only boilers that have the top energy efficiency rating SEDBUK A because this will save up to a third on heating and hot water bills compared with a conventional boiler that is 10 years old or more.

“Adding intelligent controls will save even more energy. Weather compensation controls will react to the temperature outside to ensure homes are never unnecessarily too hot or cold. Or you can now even change the heating in your home from the office, or anywhere else, via the internet. You could also connect your own solar power or ground source heat pumps to your boiler so that you use the Earth’s natural heat instead of fossil fuels.”

The survey was based on responses from 1,889 people throughout the UK and was conducted by independent survey company Tickbox, a member of the British Market Research Association, following the codes of the Market Research Society.

www.vaillant.co.uk

[Ends]

For more information contact Jan Comer, Aurora PR on, t 020 8287 1124, f 020 8286 2556, m 07970 258 023, [email protected] or Mark Wilkins, renewable technology development manager at Vaillant, on t01634 292364, [email protected]

SURVEY

Survey carried out by: Tickbox.net
Date of survey: 17/08/07
Sample size: 1889

BACKGROUND AND REGIONAL INFORMATION

National

33% will switch the heating back on in October
23% will switch the heating back in November
3% have heating on all year
36% liked their home to be 20-21 degrees centigrade in the winter
29% liked their home to be 22-23 degrees centigrade in the winter
10% liked their home to be less than 20 degrees centigrade in the winter
68% like the living room to be the warmest room in the home
20% have the heating on for 4-5 hours during the winter
15% have the heating on for more than 8 hours during the winter
2% have the heating on for less than 1 hour during the winter
53% actively try to reduce the amount of energy they waste in the home
35% have programmed their heating to come on in the evening but returned home late
29% heat rooms they don’t spend any time in
20% open windows when the heating is on
92% said energy efficiency was significant when buying a household appliance

East

34% will switch the heating back on in October
19% will switch the heating back in November
1% have heating on all year
36% liked their home to be 20-21 degrees centigrade in the winter
22% liked their home to be 22-23 degrees centigrade in the winter
12% liked their home to be less than 20 degrees centigrade in the winter
74% like the living room to be the warmest room in the home
15% have the heating on for 4-5 hours during the winter
19% have the heating on for more than 8 hours during the winter
4% have the heating on for less than 1 hour during the winter
55% actively try to reduce the amount of energy they waste in the home
32% have programmed their heating to come on in the evening but returned home late
25% heat rooms they don’t spend any time in
18% open windows when the heating is on
93% said energy efficiency was significant when buying a household appliance

London

28% will switch the heating back on in October
26% will switch the heating back in November
2% have heating on all year
32% liked their home to be 20-21 degrees centigrade in the winter
30% liked their home to be 22-23 degrees centigrade in the winter
7% liked their home to be less than 20 degrees centigrade in the winter
60% like the living room to be the warmest room in the home
23% have the heating on for 4-5 hours during the winter
12% have the heating on for more than 8 hours during the winter
6% have the heating on for less than 1 hour during the winter
47% actively try to reduce the amount of energy they waste in the home
40% have programmed their heating to come on in the evening but returned home late
28% heat rooms they don’t spend any time in
25% open windows when the heating is on
90% said energy efficiency was significant when buying a household appliance

Midlands

35% will switch the heating back on in October
24% will switch the heating back in November
2% have heating on all year
37% liked their home to be 20-21 degrees centigrade in the winter
26% liked their home to be 22-23 degrees centigrade in the winter
11% liked their home to be less than 20 degrees centigrade in the winter
68% like the living room to be the warmest room in the home
20% have the heating on for 4-5 hours during the winter
13% have the heating on for more than 8 hours during the winter
1% have the heating on for less than 1 hour during the winter
52% actively try to reduce the amount of energy they waste in the home
34% have programmed their heating to come on in the evening but returned home late
29% heat rooms they don’t spend any time in
18% open windows when the heating is on
90% said energy efficiency was significant when buying a household appliance

North East

33% will switch the heating back on in October
22% will switch the heating back in November
2% have heating on all year
33% liked their home to be 20-21 degrees centigrade in the winter
34% liked their home to be 22-23 degrees centigrade in the winter
6% liked their home to be less than 20 degrees centigrade in the winter
70% like the living room to be the warmest room in the home
14% have the heating on for 4-5 hours during the winter
12% have the heating on for more than 8 hours during the winter
4% have the heating on for less than 1 hour during the winter
51% actively try to reduce the amount of energy they waste in the home
29% have programmed their heating to come on in the evening but returned home late
36% heat rooms they don’t spend any time in
16% open windows when the heating is on
86% said energy efficiency was significant when buying a household appliance

North West

34% will switch the heating back on in October
22% will switch the heating back in November
4% have heating on all year
36% liked their home to be 20-21 degrees centigrade in the winter
32% liked their home to be 22-23 degrees centigrade in the winter
10% liked their home to be less than 20 degrees centigrade in the winter
71% like the living room to be the warmest room in the home
24% have the heating on for 4-5 hours during the winter
17% have the heating on for more than 8 hours during the winter
1% have the heating on for less than 1 hour during the winter
53% actively try to reduce the amount of energy they waste in the home
37% have programmed their heating to come on in the evening but returned home late
31% heat rooms they don’t spend any time in
20% open windows when the heating is on
91% said energy efficiency was significant when buying a household appliance

Northern Ireland

48% will switch the heating back on in October
7% will switch the heating back in November
7% have heating on all year
45% liked their home to be 20-21 degrees centigrade in the winter
31% liked their home to be 22-23 degrees centigrade in the winter
4% liked their home to be less than 20 degrees centigrade in the winter
62% like the living room to be the warmest room in the home
21% have the heating on for 4-5 hours during the winter
17% have the heating on for more than 8 hours during the winter
– % have the heating on for less than 1 hour during the winter
41% actively try to reduce the amount of energy they waste in the home
45% have programmed their heating to come on in the evening but returned home late
28% heat rooms they don’t spend any time in
21% open windows when the heating is on
93% said energy efficiency was significant when buying a household appliance

Scotland

36% will switch the heating back on in October
18% will switch the heating back in November
4% have heating on all year
41% liked their home to be 20-21 degrees centigrade in the winter
21% liked their home to be 22-23 degrees centigrade in the winter
11% liked their home to be less than 20 degrees centigrade in the winter
74% like the living room to be the warmest room in the home
19% have the heating on for 4-5 hours during the winter
18% have the heating on for more than 8 hours during the winter
2% have the heating on for less than 1 hour during the winter
58% actively try to reduce the amount of energy they waste in the home
35% have programmed their heating to come on in the evening but returned home late
29% heat rooms they don’t spend any time in
22% open windows when the heating is on
94% said energy efficiency was significant when buying a household appliance

South East

32% will switch the heating back on in October
27% will switch the heating back in November
2% have heating on all year
33% liked their home to be 20-21 degrees centigrade in the winter
35% liked their home to be 22-23 degrees centigrade in the winter
10% liked their home to be less than 20 degrees centigrade in the winter
65% like the living room to be the warmest room in the home
21% have the heating on for 4-5 hours during the winter
15% have the heating on for more than 8 hours during the winter
2% have the heating on for less than 1 hour during the winter
53% actively try to reduce the amount of energy they waste in the home
36% have programmed their heating to come on in the evening but returned home late
30% heat rooms they don’t spend any time in
22% open windows when the heating is on
93% said energy efficiency was significant when buying a household appliance

South West

33% will switch the heating back on in October
25% will switch the heating back in November
2% have heating on all year
39% liked their home to be 20-21 degrees centigrade in the winter
26% liked their home to be 22-23 degrees centigrade in the winter
11% liked their home to be less than 20 degrees centigrade in the winter
70% like the living room to be the warmest room in the home
23% have the heating on for 4-5 hours during the winter
14% have the heating on for more than 8 hours during the winter
2% have the heating on for less than 1 hour during the winter
56% actively try to reduce the amount of energy they waste in the home
36% have programmed their heating to come on in the evening but returned home late
26% heat rooms they don’t spend any time in
18% open windows when the heating is on
94% said energy efficiency was significant when buying a household appliance

Wales

27% will switch the heating back on in October
33% will switch the heating back in November
4% have heating on all year
35% liked their home to be 20-21 degrees centigrade in the winter
28% liked their home to be 22-23 degrees centigrade in the winter
13% liked their home to be less than 20 degrees centigrade in the winter
62% like the living room to be the warmest room in the home
19% have the heating on for 4-5 hours during the winter
11% have the heating on for more than 8 hours during the winter
3% have the heating on for less than 1 hour during the winter
54% actively try to reduce the amount of energy they waste in the home
29% have programmed their heating to come on in the evening but returned home late
32% heat rooms they don’t spend any time in
19% open windows when the heating is on
92% said energy efficiency was significant when buying a household appliance

Yorkshire

33% have programmed their heating to come on in the evening but returned home late
31% heat rooms they don’t spend any time in
4% have heating on all year
32% liked their home to be 20-21 degrees centigrade in the winter
22% liked their home to be 22-23 degrees centigrade in the winter
10% liked their home to be less than 20 degrees centigrade in the winter
68% like the living room to be the warmest room in the home
19% have the heating on for 4-5 hours during the winter
16% have the heating on for more than 8 hours during the winter
1% have the heating on for less than 1 hour during the winter
50% actively try to reduce the amount of energy they waste in the home
33% have programmed their heating to come on in the evening but returned home late
32% heat rooms they don’t spend any time in
20% open windows when the heating is on
95% said energy efficiency was significant when buying a household appliance

About Vaillant:

www.vaillant.co.uk

Vaillant is Europe’s number one boiler manufacturer. Worldwide it has 8,200 employees and sells more than 2.4 million appliances each year.

Its mission to care for the environment applies to how products work as well as to how they are manufactured.

The design of all Vaillant products takes into account the subsequent recycling and/or eventual safe disposal of each component used. Vaillant’s in-house rules set strict standards in this respect. The selection process used for choosing raw materials includes full consideration of their recycling characteristics, and of the breakdown and separation properties of subassemblies. The company also takes fully into account the environmental and health hazards involved in recycling and in the disposal of non-reusable waste items.

The Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) is a number that refers to the amount of ozone depletion caused by a particular substance. All Vaillant boilers have an ODP rating of 0.

The Global warming potential (GWP) is a measure of how much a given mass of greenhouse gas is estimated to contribute to global warming. Vaillant’s boilers have an official rating of 0 in this category.

The foam insulation used in all Vaillant boilers is manufactured using substances that do not contribute in any way to the ODP and subsequent disposal of the foam will not release any harmful emissions that lead to global warming.

Vaillant endeavours to keep the amount of transport packaging used for its equipment to the bare minimum necessary. Subsequent re-use is taken into account when selecting packaging materials. High-quality cardboard has long been a valuable secondary raw material for the card and paper industry. The sections of EPS required in order to protect equipment in transit are 100 per cent recyclable and CFC-free. The foil-wrapping and securing straps are likewise made of recyclable plastic.

Around 30 per cent of the UK’s CO2 emissions come from heating and energy used in the home.

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