How your boiler can help limit your energy bills

Even with the news that the government is going to limit the cap on energy bills, the tariffs have still doubled since last year. Plus, it’s only a matter of time before there will be a public campaign to encourage us all to save energy.

So, when you’re seeing this happen, you’re likely asking yourself the question: Should I get a new boiler to reduce energy costs? It’s a decent sum up front (it’s actually not that expensive and finance is available), but will it pay for itself quickly and then start saving me money in the long run?

If this is where you’re at, then you probably have three things to consider before making the big decision to invest in a new system. Let’s go through them one by one.

1. The energy efficiency of your current boiler

Most modern boilers should have an energy efficiency sticker on the boiler or in the pack that you were given when you bought it. The rating will be clearly displayed here.

Or, if you have an older system, check under the boiler where the pipes come out, and under the flap at the front where the dials are. Here you should find a small sticker or plate with the exact model.

Once you have the model, the best place to check the rating is to go to the Product Characteristics Database (PCDB). This is a comprehensive website with nearly every boiler ever made and it’s usually easy to find your boiler efficiency figure here. Look for the seasonal efficiency figure, which gives you the best idea of how your system performs throughout the year.

Older boilers can have an energy efficiency rating as low as 60%, which is a G rating. This means you’re wasting 40% of the energy you’re paying for.

New boilers must be A-rated, which means you’re wasting no more than 10% of your energy. These modern boilers are more efficient because they are ‘condensing’. This means they are recovering more heat from the exhaust flue gas.

So, what does this all mean for your bank balance?

Your boiler is responsible for more than half of what you spend each year on energy. So, if your boiler is rated at, say, 70% efficient, this means that out of every £1 spent on heating, 30p is on wasted energy. You lose only 10p for every £1, however, with an A-rated, 90% efficient boiler.

If you do the maths, an A-rated boiler makes a lot of sense as bills rise. If you’re using a 20-year-old boiler currently, the chances are that this winter you will be burning some serious cash.

2. Can you improve the performance of your current boiler?

Now, let’s not be too hasty with replacing your boiler, at least not just yet. The system you have now could be more energy efficient with a little help. Here are five things we can help you with for starters

• Insulation – if you’ve got a heat only or ‘conventional’ boiler, you’re sending heat straight to your radiators and works with a cylinder or tank to provide hot water. New hot water cylinders are factory insulated but you can improve older models by topping up the insulation to the standard 80 mm
• Heating controls – the advice from the Energy Saving Trust is that boilers should include at least a programmer (time control), a minimum of one room thermostat, and, if you have radiators, thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs). Systems with a hot water cylinder should also include a cylinder thermostat
• Chemical inhibitors – With older boiler systems, you get a nasty build-up of scale and sludge, which reduces the effectiveness of the radiators and your central heating. A chemical inhibitor is a solution that slows down the corrosion, saving you money in maintenance and repairs
• Bleed your radiators – yes, you’re doing more than releasing trapped air in the system. This simple task makes your radiators more heat efficient and less costly to run
• Book an annual service – you get a service on your car every year to keep it safe and on the road, so why not service the system that keeps you and your family warm and in supply of hot water? Talk to us about an annual service

3. How to choose the right type of boiler

A new system every 12 to 15 years is a sound investment that will more than pay for itself. So, first things first, there are, broadly speaking, three main types of boilers you can get our engineers to install in your home

• Combi boilers – they’re neat and tidy, take up less space, are easier to maintain and repair and give you instant hot water. On the downside, they can only manage one bath or shower at a time, and they rely on mains pressure, so think carefully if you have a big family
• Heat only (regular boilers) – good for larger households with multiple bathrooms, but no hot water on demand, they’re big and take up more space and because you’re storing hot water in a cylinder, they’re not as efficient
• System boilers – again, good for big households, but don’t hog as much space as the heat only system. They do need more space than a combi, there is no instant hot water guaranteed and you will get temporary hot water shortages

The one you go for depends in large part on how much hot water your household uses, but it’s also important to consider things such as the age of the rest of your current heating system and the pressure of your mains water supply. Our engineers can help you work this out.

Even though they are limited now, the energy price rises are worrying a lot of us, but there are ways to keep a lid on them. To recap, you can improve the performance of your current heating system or invest in a new boiler that will save you in the long run.

In the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing as much up-to-date advice as we can on how to save energy and limit the increases in your energy bills. In the meantime, please give us a call if you’d like more advice. Whether it’s buying a new boiler or improving the performance of the one you have now, our qualified and experienced engineers are here to help.

Need help with your boiler or heating system? Contact us today