Every spring heating changes its face. For a few hours in the afternoon it seems like a relic of winter, an object left lit out of habit. Then the early morning arrives, the air is slightly stinging, the floor gets cold, and that decision that seemed trivial takes on weight again. In 2026, then, the issue of bills remains nervous: the attacks on the gas infrastructure in Qatar have affected 17% of the country’s LNG export capacity, with repercussions also on Italy, which has moved to seek alternative supplies, while ARERA continues to update the raw material component for vulnerable customers month by month.
Because the day you turn off the heating really matters
The real point is here: turning off the heating is worth more than it seems. ENEA reminds you that 19°C is enough for domestic comfort, that every degree less can cut fuel consumption by up to 10% and that one hour less on together with one degree less can translate into energy savings of around 15%. At the end of the season, when the cold loses its strength and the house retains heat better, this difference can be felt.
In Italy, however, the answer changes from city to city because the climate zone of the municipality decides. The ordinary calendar established by Presidential Decree 412/1993 follows this rhythm: zone A until March 15th for 6 hours a day, zone B until March 31st for 8 hours, zone C until March 31st for 10 hours, zone D until April 15th for 12 hours, zone E until April 15th for 14 hours, zone F without ordinary limitations. Outside these windows, the systems can still be activated only in climatic conditions that justify it and for a daily time equal to half of that allowed when fully operational.
Independent house and condominium move differently
Those who live in a house with an independent system have greater leeway and would do well to use it intelligently. The most useful signal comes from the set of concrete things: stable external temperatures, sun that really enters the house, radiators that turn on more and more rarely, rooms that still hold up well in the evening without collapsing as soon as the sun sets. At that moment it is better to accompany the season rather than suffer it, with a gradual transition: one degree less, fewer hours of lighting, more attention to the rooms truly lived in.
In the condominium the matter becomes more collective and much less poetic. Enter the administrator, regulations, discussions on the landing and the usual contrast between those who still walk around in heavy sweatshirts and those who open the windows. Here too, however, the criterion remains Italian through and through: climate zone, legal calendar, any local ordinances, actual weather trends. The right day, in a building, almost always coincides with the point at which the heating stops defending comfort and only begins to consume.
A practical reference works well almost everywhere: when for several consecutive days the highs stay above 15 degrees, the mornings lose rigidity and the house maintains temperature without effort, the detachment can start peacefully. Well-insulated buildings reach this step first. Humid, north-facing or inefficient homes reach it more slowly. The body, in the end, remains a good thermometer, as long as it is not spoiled by tropical rooms.
The water heater also deserves size
Spring also brings with it another detail that weighs more heavily on the bill than it seems: domestic hot water. Keeping the water heater at temperatures that are too high increases costs without providing commensurate comfort. In terms of balance, the 50-55°C range remains the most sensible: according to the Ministry of Health, in that range the proliferation of Legionella is inhibited, while values above 60°C progressively reduce the number of colonies based on the exposure time.
Even holidays deserve a minimum of strategy. For long absences, the electric boiler or storage water heater can be turned off or put into holiday mode, when available. Upon returning, for hygienic reasons, the Consumer Protection Center recommends returning the boiler to at least 65°C before use. It’s a little attention that avoids waste during your absence and puts the system back on track when you return home.
The right decision, in the end, has a very simple form. It lies halfway between the calendar and common sense. The heating should be turned off when it stops protecting the house and begins to hold back the winter out of habit. And habits, in this season, always cost more than necessary.
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