How to improve my boiler’s efficiency

Not only are fuel costs on the rise, but there is growing awareness about the environmental impact of boiler systems. Similarly, inefficient boilers are a burden on your pocket, as well as the environment.

With heating expenses amounting to 55% of your annual energy bills, it is imperative to ensure that your boiler system is functioning with optimal efficiency; in turn, saving you money and reducing carbon emissions.

4 tips to improve your boiler system’s efficiency

Here are four expert tips you can use to increase your boiler’s efficiency and save on utility bills:

Install a smart thermostat

As the name implies, smart thermostats are device-integrated thermostats that work with your web browsers, computers, or even smart speakers like Amazon Echo or Google Home.

Designed for convenience, efficiency, and comfort, smart thermostats enable you to exercise complete control over your thermostat settings, no matter where you are. With additional insights such as usage history, this device is great to keep track of how often you use your boiler system and for how long.

If the ability to remotely control your thermostat settings (and thereby optimise its usage and decrease energy costs) wasn’t enough, some advanced smart thermostats can even pick up on your habits.

Such thermostats will record and analyse your schedule – when are you away at work and how cold or warm you like your home to be throughout the day.

This takes away the process of having to manually configure the thermostat every time there is a change of plan. Just take out your smartphone and adjust the settings as you please.

According to the Energy Trust, the correct use of a thermostat can prevent 330 kg of carbon dioxide from ending up in the atmosphere, and save approximately £100 per annum.

Smart thermostats can be easily installed with all types of boilers, even older systems, without any hassle.

Install zones throughout your home

The installation of a ‘zone’ control allows your boiler system to regulate temperature in different areas of the house individually, as opposed to maintaining the same temperature throughout.

In other words, you can configure zone control to ensure that your bedroom remains warm and cosy during the night, whereas other ‘zones’ remain cold. Rooms that are not occupied can be taken off the heating grid to help reduce wastage.

By not heating the empty rooms in your home, you are also reducing the load on your boiler system, which translates into extended life.

Even a one-degree reduction on the room thermostat can result in a 320kg savings on carbon dioxide emissions, while saving you £80 per annum. When you extend that to entire rooms being heated only when used, the potential for savings is massive.

Thermostatic Radiator Valves (TRVs)

As a quintessential piece of radiator technology, a thermostatic radiator valve (TRV) is used as a heating control to regulate air temperature around your home. Conventional heaters come with manual radiator valves that work as a tap – you can simply regulate the flow of water to your boiler by turning it on or off.

TRVs use an advanced technology that eliminates the need to regulate the water flow manually. These come in two different models; wax and liquid. Each compound expands or contracts based on the temperature of the room, and thus, impacts the valve setting.

Once you have set the desired temperature, the boiler will continue to blow hot air. However, once the desired temperature is reached, the wax or liquid expands. This causes a pin in the valve’s body to close, thereby reducing, or outright blocking water supply into the radiator.

The reverse is also true when the temperature is lower than the desired setting, and contraction occurs. As a result, homeowners can save on energy costs, and heat their space more efficiently.

TRVs are also perfect to set different temperatures throughout the house; with this device, you can easily keep your bedrooms cooler, and your lounge warm and cosy.

Place your thermostat correctly

The placement of a thermostat isn’t a top priority for most people – but this has a direct impact on your utility bills.

Why? Because thermostats measure the room through sensors that read the temperature around them, and adjust the air conditioning accordingly.

If you install them in a very cold or hot room, the reading may not reflect the true temperature of your home. For instance, a thermostat installed near the kitchen will sense the warm air coming from the room, and may lower your home’s overall temperature.

The best possible location for a thermostat would be a wall, in a frequently used room. It’s a good idea to place the thermostat four to five feet high, and ensure that the sensor remains unobstructed by doors, bookshelves, or any other items that can hinder its ability to sense the temperature accurately.

As an important part of your home’s heating system, a boiler is necessary to keep you warm and cosy – especially during winters. With the help of these tips, you can ensure your boiler remains in optimal condition throughout the year.

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Homecure Plumbers are a London based plumbing company, with expertise in everything boiler related including servicing and installations, working with leading brands like Vaillant and Worcester.

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