As the nights draw in and the weather gets colder, school children are sitting at their desks looking into the now-dark sky, dreaming of Christmas. Playtime is spent huddled inside rather than out on the school fields, and it won’t be long until parents start moaning about lost coats, scarves and gloves. During this time, staff are trying to figure out how to keep classrooms warm without going over budget – something that’s even tougher than normal this year. Luckily, we have some tips to help make your school’s heating more efficient, saving you money along the way.
Keep To Recommended Room Temperatures
We all know how uncomfortable it can be to work in a cold office, and the same goes for children at school. But that doesn’t mean you should crank the heating up to full power, as being too hot can be uncomfortable too! It’s a balancing act, and getting it right will help keep morale up and boost productivity across the board. Believe it or not, there is an ideal temperature. According to the Department for Education and Skills, temperatures in schools should be kept at the following levels:
- Normal teaching environment: 18°C
- Circulation spaces (e.g. corridors): 15°C
- Areas with high activity levels (e.g. sports halls): 15°C
- Areas with low levels of activity: 21°C
- Special Educational Needs (SEN) schools or areas with very young children: 21°C
You will need to bear in mind the surface temperature of your radiators as well, as there have been cases of children being burnt by radiators in school. The surface temperature of your radiators should never go above 43°C.
Consider Timing
Schools are not occupied 24/7, which means that there are times when you don’t need to worry about the temperature. Taking advantage of the timers on your heating system means that you can lower the temperature during those vacant hours, and still make sure that it rises back to those ideal levels before the children arrive in the morning. Simply adjusting the timers on your heating system can save you a huge amount of hassle and money, so we always recommend you start there.
Prevent Interference With Radiators
Schools are big places, and there are a lot of ways staff and children can interfere with the heating and ventilation, even if they don’t mean to. Just take a look at the inside of a traditional radiator next time you walk past, and see how many pencils, pieces of paper, half-chewed gum and other debris have made their way inside. Look in a classroom and see how many things have been piled in front of a radiator by a teacher with limited space to work with. All of that interferes with the heat distribution and will be costing you money. The ideal solution here is to invest in tamper-proof radiators or radiator coverings – but if your budget won’t stretch that far, then ensuring they are cleaned regularly and briefing teachers on not blocking heat sources will also work.
At Bonus Eventus Maintenance we understand how difficult it can be to keep your school heated and ensure no money is wasted in the process. That’s why we offer free site visits and reviews to any and all educational establishments. Our experts will asses your school heating systems and provide free advice and information, including recommendations for thermostat settings, heat zoning and even governmental support options if you’re eligible. If you’d like to know more, or to book your free school survey, just get in touch with the team today.
