Heating Efficiency improvement

 

If your house has central heating, you can make the heating more efficient and less expensive by upgrading your heating controls.


A time switch or programmer allows you to set heating and hot water to come on only at times when needed.




Room thermostats that automatically switch the heating off at a certain temperature prevent the boiler from running when rooms sufficiently heated and therefore save a considerable amount of energy.




Similarly, individual radiator thermostats (Thermostatic Radiator Valves TRV) can be fitted which allow you to control each room's temperature separately.



One of the biggest causes of high fuel bills and energy inefficiency comes from old boilers, generally those over 15 years old. All modern boiler systems are more energy efficient and use less fuel to run. The most efficient boilers in terms of saving money are called condensing boilers which use 30-40% less fuel.


You or your landlord may be eligible for a grant to install a condensing boiler. Fitting a new boiler is expensive and you should first contact your local Energy Efficiency Advice Centre for information on what grants are available in your area and a list of approved contractors. You should also check that the installer carrying out your work is an approved member of either CORGI (Council for Registered Gas Installers), for gas appliances, or OFTEC (Oil Firing Technical Association for the petroleum industry), for oil fired appliances.