It's been recommended that most people should have the heating on in their homes for at least eight hours a day

Although down on last winter, energy bills remain high compared to recent years and many of you will be trying to strike a balance between a warm home and not being hit with a huge energy bill.

The experts at BoilerCentral has said that whilst there isn't a one-size-fits-all solution for how long the heating should be on for, they do recommend 8-10 hours a day as a "general guideline."

Important factors that may affect this are how well insulated the home is and how big it is. A small well-insulated house may only need heating for 6-8 hours per day, while a larger home may require 10-12 hours. 

BoilerCentral suggested that the best times to have the heating on are early on the morning and after sunset, when the temperature outside drops.

Some of the tips and advice they have as to how you can maximise the efficiency of the central heating in your home included using a programmable thermostat, keeping windows and doors close, and using draft stoppers.

They did also offer a much shorter heating schedule if you don't fancy having your central heating on for more than third of the day.

They suggested that someone working a 9-til-5 could put the heating on from 5:45-7:00 in the morning and 16:45-18:00 in the evening. This would then total to just two-and-a-half hours a day.

BoilerCentral also debunked the myth that keeping the heating on all day but on a low setting is cheaper.

They explained: "The question of whether to it is cheaper to leave your heating on low all day is a common one. But according to the Energy Saving Trust, it’s not necessarily cheaper as it leads to constant energy use.

"Your home generally loses a certain amount of heat throughout the day, and the amount depends on the insulation quality."