Options
Save on the energy to heat your home in three steps:Step one: take control
Thermostatic radiator valves are easy to fit to your radiators and can make a big difference to your heating. They allow you to control the temperature of each room with a radiator. If you find that some parts of your home are warm and others cold, then thermostatic valves could be the answer.
A programmable room thermostat lets you choose what times you want the heating to be on and what temperature it should reach while it is on. It will allow you to select different temperatures in your home at different times of the day and days of the week. This means you can save money and energy by not heating your home unnecessarily. If you have an old room thermostat that only controls the temperature you should consider upgrading it.
A cylinder thermostat switches on and off the heat supply from the boiler to the hot-water cylinder. It works by sensing the temperature of the water inside the cylinder. You should have one fitted already, but its worth checking as you could be heating your water needlessly.
Step two: Upgrade your system
A new condensing boiler will convert 90% of the gas energy into heat. If you have an old boiler, 40% of the heat it produces could be going up in smoke, rather than into your home. This means that you could save 30% of your gas heating bill with a new boiler.
New radiators can help to deliver more heat to your coldest rooms. In addition to making your home more comfortable, this can your home’s heating more focused on where it needs to be, increasing its overall efficiency.
Underfloor heating offers an efficient alternative to traditional radiators. This is partly because the system operates at a much lower temperature than radiators, partly because each room is separately controlled, but mainly because the heat is delivered at floor level right across your home. In addition to a more efficient home, this gives you space and comfort. Needless to say, this option makes most sense if you are building a new home or completely refitting an existing property.
Step three: Renewables
If you have a garden, a ground source heat pump offers a means of exploiting the UK’s relatively mild climate to heat your home. The system basically works as a large inverted fridge; it takes heat from you garden through buried pipework and, by compressing the refrigerant in these pipes, releases the heat back into your home. The pump still needs to be powered by electricity and the system works best with underfloor heating.