Blog23 February 2016

Blazing rows – how nearly half of UK couples argue about heating

It’s a subject that has sparked debate in the majority of households at one time or another – with recent studies suggesting that heating is in fact the biggest cause of arguments in a domestic environment during winter.

So it’s perhaps unsurprisingly that almost fifty per cent of people admit to squabbling over the temperature with their spouse or partner.

We recently commissioned a survey to investigate the topic further, questioning over 2,000 UK residents before publishing the findings here.

Close to 1,000 of the people asked confessed to arguing about heating in some capacity, with costs proving to be one of the most significant reasons. Twenty-two per cent concede that their heating bill plays an important factor in discussions, although less than a tenth of respondents bother to calculate how much they might save.

Carl Webb, Specialist Hire Director at Andrews Sykes, believes the best way to avoid conflict is for couples to settle on preordained temperatures and operating times.

He said: “While these rows are not uncommon, it’s more beneficial to agree on a set heating plan than going behind one another’s back and cycling the boiler on and off.

“It’s certainly not efficient to keep the heating on constantly, especially if you’re working during the day. If you’re turning radiators down to save on energy, make sure your thermostat reflects this change otherwise it won’t save you anything.”

Only a fifth of us are happy to keep our homes cosy irrespective of cost, although 32% say they put the needs of family first when it comes to comfort indoors.

External sources have even suggested that the heating situation causes at least two arguments per day in 40% of cases – proof if ever it were needed that finding a happy medium can be extremely challenging!