May 15, 2024, 1:26 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
When the temperatures outside are summery warm again, it’s obviously not very sensible to keep the heating running. That’s why there’s a setting for summer mode. But even this has its weaknesses, as an expert explains.
With the heating system, there’s the option to switch to summer mode. This is usually the case when it’s warm enough and you no longer need to heat. In summer mode, the heating only produces hot water, but no heating warmth. What initially sounds sensible also has its weaknesses and can even have negative effects.
Caution with Self-Regulating Systems
The energy-saving tip with summer mode is not always sensible. This is particularly true for self-regulating systems, explains the German Association for Liquid Gas. These systems can still activate in summer mode if it gets too cold. This can happen on cooler nights or during a temperature drop in a summer thunderstorm.
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Unnoticed Energy Waste
What many don’t know: Numerous heating systems have outdoor temperature sensors that detect weather changes and adjust the heating accordingly. Residents often don’t notice this–resulting in their heating systems consuming energy unnecessarily.
Therefore, the association advises for systems with smart controls that automatically switch to summer mode, to manually adjust the settings on the heating system. During the warm season, the heating should only produce hot water for the kitchen and bathroom. The Consumer Advice Center also recommends completely shutting down the heating system in summer or switching to a hot water-only mode.
When should you turn off the heating?
It generally depends on the weather conditions. In May, it’s usually warm enough to turn off the heating or switch to hot water mode. By June 1, the official start of summer, you no longer need to heat. The heating period then begins again on October 1.
Set Radiators to Level 5
It sounds paradoxical, but it’s recommended: You should turn the thermostats on the radiators all the way up when using them only for hot water. This may seem odd at first glance with warm outdoor temperatures, but it relaxes the mechanism that regulates water flow into the radiators. “This helps prevent the valves from sticking in the summer and getting stuck at the start of the next heating period–and then needing to be replaced in the worst case,” explains DVFG technical expert Markus Lau.
With material from dpa