Ans: Actually, turning the system completely OFF frequently or for a short period of time actually consumes more power. You see, when the thermostat is OFF, the power consumption will be zero as the central heating system will also be off. But when you turn it back ON, it utilizes quite a lot of energy to reach the given temperature levels. Instead, you should keep the settings at low when you are not home to get optimal performance. Keeping the system OFF is only viable when you are going on a vacation.