Techem survey: Mild October weather again makes people reluctant to heat their homes

Eschborn, 29^th November 2024. As in the previous year, October surprised Germany with unusually high temperatures: at an average of 11.0 degrees Celsius, the month was two degrees warmer than the average reference period from 1961 to 1990, according to the German Weather Service (DWD). The second half of the month in particular was exceptionally mild, which meant that many households were still able to benefit from the comparatively high temperatures when it came to heating. A survey conducted by the Eschborn-based energy service provider Techem shows that nearly two thirds (61%) of respondents did not heat their homes in October.

The weather conditions were also the main reason for this group to refrain from heating: A full 84% said that the room temperature was still comfortable enough during this period even without heating. This statement was followed by concerns about excessive additional payments (24%), conscious heating for climate protection reasons (21%) and uncertainty about the current level of heating costs (16%). The cost factor was therefore also a prominent reason for reluctance, alongside the mild temperatures.

Of the people who switched on their heating in October, over a third (33%) used it for more than a week, while 28% only switched it on for one to three days. Heating was used the most in the evening hours in particular (87%). The focus here was on the living room (86%) and bathroom (48%). In the group of people who were worried about paying too much extra, 37% stated that they had refrained from heating due to the current tense political situation (inflation, energy crisis). When asked how they had warmed themselves instead, they cited traditional aids: 86% wear warmer clothes, 82% use blankets and 57% consume warm drinks.

Correct ventilation and heating are understood

And user behavior varies depending on the energy source supplying the building. Among the top 3 heating systems, natural gas heating (45%), district heating (25%) and oil heating (14%), natural gas heating stands out in particular. 63% of respondents who use gas heating stated that they had already used it during this heating period. The low prevalence of smart radiator thermostats is striking: Although these enable potential savings of up to 15% when used and programmed optimally, they are only used by 4% of respondents. The majority of respondents lower the temperature manually when they leave the house instead of controlling it using time profiles or mobile controls or apps on their smartphone.

With regard to the efficient use of various heating systems, Germans rate their overall level of knowledge as positive: 59% rate their knowledge of “energy-saving heating” as good to very good. When it comes to “energy-saving ventilation in the winter,” 72% consider themselves to be well informed. Participants were also asked about their reasons for changing their heating and ventilation behavior. For 69%, it is primarily about saving costs, 50% want to save energy, 42% want to prevent mold and only 34% are concerned about well-being and health.

Image information: Due to the warm weather in October, the radiators in many German households were still turned off (Image source: Benjamin Seebach / Techem). 

About the survey

Techem conducted an online survey in October 2024 in which 1,000 tenants were interviewed. The participants in the study were recruited via an expert Techem panel.