Having an energy efficient home is something we all want. It’s good for the environment and also helps us to save money on our energy bills. The biggest culprits of energy usage in your home is your boiler and central heating system and looking into the ways you can become more energy efficient with it will be beneficial for everyone.
Boiler efficiency can decline the older your system is. That means that when your boiler gets to the 10 year mark, you may want to start thinking about replacing it. If your boiler begins to break down often or you find that you’re having to regularly replace different components, then that’s a sure sign something is wrong. If this is the case, then you may want to think about a boiler replacement.
Increase your boiler efficiency
To help you increase the efficiency of your boiler, there are a number of things you can do:
1. Have a service
Life is busy. So busy in fact that something as important as a boiler service can be easily forgotten. However, it’s crucial if you want to prolong the life of your boiler. A service from a Gas Safe registered engineer can identify any problems with your system so they can be fixed before they become much more serious.
When you buy a new boiler, you’ll probably get warranty with your purchase. To keep your warranty valid, you’ll more than likely need to have a regular boiler service every year – it’s a good way to make sure your boiler is always in check!
2. Install heating controls/thermostat
To make sure you always have a comfortable home temperature, investing in a room thermostat is a good move. Not only will you be able to change the temperatures of the rooms in your home with the touch of a button, but you’ll also be able to schedule in when your heating comes on, any day of the week.
Say you work during the week, Monday to Friday. You can set the schedule so your heating will come on just before you get out of bed in the mornings and then again around 20 minutes before you return home. This ensures that your house will be warm when you need it to be, without using unnecessary energy while your house is empty throughout the day.
3. Use your boiler regularly
Not using your boiler will obviously save you energy and money but leave it too long and it may not function as it once did. To keep your boiler ticking over in the warmer months and to prevent the different components from becoming faulty from lack of use, turn your heating on for 10 minutes every now and then to keep it in good working order.
Doing this will save you from finding out about any faults the hard way when the winter arrives. The last thing you need is to switch on your boiler when the temperatures drop, only to find that it doesn’t want to work. And although it is not very common for a boiler owner, why not, you could consider taking a plumbing course for beginners. You’ll be able not only to correctly identify the problems that might appear in the future but you’ll also be prepared not necessarily to fix those problems yourself but to fully understand the diagnosis and the solutions a professional will present you.
4. Turn your thermostat down
A handy tip to saving a little more energy is to turn your thermostat down a couple of degrees. In reality, you’ll not notice the difference with a couple of degrees, but as a result, you’ll save energy and money on your bills each month.
A weather compensating thermostat could also be a good choice – it will detect the temperature and work out whether the thermostat should be turned down a few degrees or whether it needs turning up a little on particularly cold days.
5. Invest in a new boiler
Sometimes, the cheapest option is to scrap your old boiler and get a brand new replacement. Modern boilers are much more energy efficient than older models, and even though they might be a pricey investment up front, it can be a much cheaper option in the long run when you’re not constantly replacing components.
Home efficiency is so much easier to achieve than you think
We all want to be more efficient in how we run our homes day to day, but often feel like it takes a lot of effort. It’s good to know that you can save so much energy from simply altering how you use your central heating system and using your boiler wisely.
This post was in collaboration with BOXT, boiler and air conditioning installers who pride themselves on free, next day delivery and installation. For more information on their prices, visit their website: https://www.boxt.co.uk.
