Heating adjustment while away in Exeter
Professional heating adjustment while away services in Exeter and surrounding areas. Local, reliable handyman - no job too small.
Price Guide
£60
Typical Duration
30 mins-1 hr
Location
Exeter, Devon
Heating adjusted properly before you go away - frost protection set to prevent pipe damage, but not wasting money heating an empty house. I'll program everything and show you how to do it yourself next time.
Don't Heat an Empty House
Going away for a week? Two weeks? Why pay to heat rooms nobody's using?
💡 Pro tip: A house kept at 10°C instead of 20°C while you're away for two weeks can save £40-60 in heating costs. That's paid for this service and bought you a nice meal out.
Why Proper Adjustment Matters
It's not about turning everything off - it's about smart settings that protect your house.
| ✅ Done Right | ❌ Done Wrong |
|---|---|
| Frost protection set (10-12°C) | Turned off completely |
| Hot water reduced, not eliminated | Hot water heating empty cylinder daily |
| Timer programmed for return | Manual override left on by mistake |
| Instructions left for housesitter | Nobody knows how anything works |
What You Get
🔧 The Full Service
| Stage | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Current settings | Note down your normal heating schedule |
| Holiday mode | Set frost protection, reduce hot water, adjust timers |
| Walkthrough | Show you what I've changed and why |
| Return planning | Set heating to resume before you're back (optional) |
📦 You're Left With
- Heating set to protect house but save energy
- Clear notes on what's been changed
- Knowledge to do it yourself next time
- Peace of mind while away
Pricing Guide
| Service | Time | You'll Pay |
|---|---|---|
| One-off adjustment before holiday | 30 mins-1 hr | £60 |
| Adjust before + restore on return | 1 hr total | £60 |
| Monthly winter check (extended absence) | 30 mins per visit | £60 per visit |
Based on £60 minimum (first hour). Multiple visits bundled together. Can combine with other home-watch services.
Perfect For Your Project If...
✅ Going on holiday - house empty for a week or more
✅ Winter getaway - frost risk while you're away
✅ Confusing controls - modern programmer or old-school timer you've never understood
✅ Extended absence - working abroad, long trip, winter rental
✅ Second home - property empty most of winter
✅ Peace of mind - want it done right, not guessed
Why Choose Us for Heating adjustment while away in Exeter?
Boiler programmed to save energy while away
Frost protection set to prevent pipe damage
Hot water schedule adjusted appropriately
Heating ready to return to normal when you're back
What to Expect
Step 1: Understanding Your System
I look at your heating controls - whether it's a modern smart thermostat or a mechanical timer from 1987. Work out what settings can be adjusted.
Step 2: Setting Holiday Mode
Program in frost protection temperature, reduce hot water heating cycles, set timers appropriately. If you're back on a specific date, I can set everything to return to normal the day before.
Step 3: Walkthrough & Notes
Show you what I've changed, write down the settings if you want, explain why each change makes sense. You'll understand your system better.
🔧 DIY Tips
Want to manage your own heating settings? Here's the basics:
🔧 What you need
- Your boiler manual (or find it online with the model number)
- Notepad to write down current settings BEFORE changing anything
- Understanding of your specific system type
📐 Setting frost protection
- Find the temperature control (not the timer)
- Set it to 10-12°C (this is frost protection temperature)
- Don't turn it OFF - that's no protection
- Leave it set to come on if temperature drops below this
✂️ Hot water adjustment
- Reduce hot water cycles but don't eliminate completely
- One cycle every 2-3 days prevents legionella bacteria
- Or turn hot water off if you're draining the system (different scenario)
⚠️ Common DIY mistakes
- Turning heating completely off - frozen pipes cost thousands
- Leaving on normal schedule "just in case" - wastes loads of money
- Setting temperature too low (below 10°C) - doesn't protect in hard freeze
- Forgetting to note down original settings - can't restore when you return
💡 Pro trick: Take photos of all your current settings before changing anything. Then you've got exact reference for putting things back. Also, set a reminder on your phone for the day before you return home to check heating's coming back on - nothing worse than arriving back to a freezing house.
Rather leave it to a pro? No problem - that's what I'm here for. Give me a call.
Good to Know
🎨 Smart thermostat? If you've got Hive, Nest, or similar, I can set up schedules through the app so you can adjust remotely while away. Much more flexible than old-school timers.
Combining with house checks? If I'm popping round weekly to check your house while you're away, adjusting heating is included - no extra charge. Makes sense to bundle these services.
Older boiler? Some ancient mechanical timers are genuinely confusing. Little pins that push in, cryptic symbols, no instructions. I've seen them all. If yours is baffling, that's exactly why this service exists.
Smart heating installation? If you want to upgrade to a smart thermostat so you can control everything from your phone, that's a separate job but I can do it. Costs more upfront but makes holiday adjustments much easier long-term.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you actually do to adjust my heating?
I program your boiler/heating controls to a lower temperature while you're away - enough to stop pipes freezing (usually 10-12°C) but not wasting money heating an empty house. I also adjust hot water schedules and set timers if needed. Before you return, I can come back and set everything to normal.
Why can't I just turn the heating completely off?
You could, but one cold snap while you're away and you'll come home to burst pipes. Frost protection mode keeps the house just warm enough to prevent damage but uses minimal energy. Much cheaper than a plumber's emergency callout for frozen pipes.
My boiler controls are confusing - can you show me how to do this myself?
Absolutely. Part of the service is showing you which buttons to press and settings to change. Once you've seen it done, you can manage it yourself for future trips. Some older boiler timers are genuinely confusing though - even I have to read the manual sometimes.
Can you set it to come back on before I return?
Yes - that's the smart way to do it. I can program it to return to normal heating a day before you're back, so you come home to a warm house instead of waiting hours for it to heat up.
What if I'm going away for months, not just a week?
Same principle but we'd schedule a mid-winter check-in. I can pop round every few weeks to make sure everything's still working, check for leaks, and confirm the heating's doing its job. Peace of mind while you're away.
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Got multiple jobs?
Make the most of your first hour - I can often tackle several small tasks in one visit. List everything you need done when you call!
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