With fuel prices at an all-time high, there's no doubt that if you are local to Brackley, Banbury, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire or Milton Keynes, you'll be wanting to do everything you can to reduce your energy spending each month. That's why the team at Elements Heating installations have outlined our top 4 steps towards decarbonising your home and reducing your fuel bills.
Step 1: Lowering the flow temperature if you have a condensing combi boiler
The first step on every household's journey to net-zero is to make sure that if you have a gas boiler, it is operating at its most efficient level. This makes them last longer with a low-cost improvement that produces actual savings that you will begin to notice.
Low-temperature systems, such as gas boilers, are more efficient when your radiators run at a lower temperature for extended periods of time. Simply reducing the 'flow temperature' of your boiler can save households up to 8% on their gas expenses. Lowering the flow temperature is simple to perform with a combi boiler, but it is not recommended for boilers that use a hot water cylinder because you will need to make some system and/or heating control changes.
Step 2: Invest in a smart or advanced controls heating system
Because the terms "advanced controls" and "smart controls" are sometimes used interchangeably, we distinguish between the two. Advanced control is one that communicates with the boiler in the same language. It acts as a "brain" for the boiler, allowing it to work more intelligently and effectively. Smart controls are heating controls that have Wi-Fi connectivity, however, they are not usually complicated controls and often simply turn the boiler on and off. Advanced controls may or may not have internet access.
At Elements Heating Installations, we can install a range of smart or advanced heating controls in your home, depending on the size of your property and your demands for hot water. For small houses with up to 3 bathrooms, we install NEST thermostats, and for larger homes, we find that Tado's thermostats work best as they have multiple zone technology.
To find out more about how you can book an installation of our smart controls in your home near Brackley today, click the button below.
Step 3: Refining your central heating system
When we use the term 'refining' your central heating system, what we are referring to is everything outside your boiler, so this would mean appliances such as radiators, radiator valves, pumps and so on. The heating system's setup is critical to the effectiveness of a gas boiler, although it is very often disregarded. The size of your radiators will actually affect how low you can set your flow temperature! You should always keep in mind that the lower the flow temperature, the more efficient the boiler. Due to poor balancing and an unadjusted pump, the return temperature of water to the boiler will rise, lowering efficiency once more.
Step 4: Choosing the right installer to set up your boiler optimally
At Elements Heating Installations, we have a saying which goes: "a boiler is only as good as the installer that installs it!" and with little to no training in condensing gas boiler technology for installers, most boilers are usually left to their factory settings once fitted.
Some boilers are highly adaptable, and if the installer understands what they're doing, they may be fine-tuned to your heating system. Because other boilers are more basic, refining options are limited. In either case, without rectification, all boilers will rarely condense during their limited lifespans. If you do need to replace your boiler, you have the option of choosing a model that has a higher efficiency potential than a basic model, then please get in touch with us using the contact details below.
Get in touch with us for more energy-saving tips or advice
If you would like to find out more about what you could be doing at home to ensure that you're saving on your energy spending, then give us a call on 07875 344794 where you'll speak directly to one of our experienced engineers who will be there to advise you rather than some pushy salesperson! You can also email elementsheatinginstallations@gmail.com if you have any questions and we will respond to you as soon as we can!
