Many homeowners think that by turning the heat off when they are not home, they can actually save a lot in the long run. However, nothing could be further from the truth! By turning the heat off, you will not only have to pay more for heating oil, but also risk the entire heating system’s safety due to unforeseen damages. These alone can make you take thousands of dollars out of your pocket.
Some of the most common problems experienced by homeowners who choose to turn their home temperatures too low include frozen pipes and cracking plaster, just to name a few. We all know that when water freezes, it has the potential to expand. If the water inside your pipes freezes, it will try to expand, causing an enormous pressure of over 2,000 pounds per square inch. This is huge, even if the pipes are made of stainless steel or any other other pressure resistant material. In over 99% of the cases, the pipes will explode within a 3-day period post freezing.
Bursting pipes are not only extremely expensive to fix, but it will also lead to additional damage. A burst pipe has the potential to pour out over 600 gallons of water hour. If this happens, your entire property is in great danger. Another huge danger you are prone to when turning your heating burner off after you leave the home is cracking plaster. Because this material is extremely temperature sensitive, turning your heat off can cause it to warp, leading to visible cracks in the ceiling and interior walls.
Turning your heat off during the cold winter months is definitely not the best option when it comes to saving on the heating costs. We recommend any homeowner not to turn the heat below 60F during the winter months, otherwise you will have to deal with costly repairs and invest thousands of dollars to fix the damage done by bursting pipes or cracking plaster.