How Energy Efficient Will Your New Boiler Be? [You Might be Surprised]

Wondering about how energy efficient your new boiler will really be?

Maybe you know that all new boilers are pretty energy efficient. In fact, any boiler sold on the market today should legally be A-rated. However, you may be pleasantly surprised at the fact that your boiler can always be given a helping hand to become even more energy efficient.

How? Well, as an experienced engineer, let me explain a little more about boiler efficiency below:

The most important thing about boiler efficiency

The good thing about most boilers these days is that they’re sold at around 92% efficiency. Give or take a couple of percentage points. In fact, if you have a really old, inefficient boiler, a new one could save you up to £720!

Annual fuel costs with different boiler types (source: Sedbuk)
Boiler type	Efficiency	Flat	Bungalow	Terraced	Semi-detached	Detached
Old gas heavy weight	55%	£779	£1020	£1062	£1204	£1705
Old gas light weight	65%	£659	£863	£898	£1019	£1442
New non-condensing	78%	£549	£719	£749	£849	£1202
New condensing	89%	£481	£630	£656	£744	£1053

*Chart provided by www.which.co.uk.

However, the most important thing to remember about boiler efficiency these days is that it’s the way its run or controlled that really matters. For instance, on most combi boilers, you’ll now find an eco control. So, instead of your boiler keeping a litre of water on the boil, you can just heat your water on demand.

This means that the water will take longer to heat. But on the flipside, you’ll be saving energy! (And therefore money)

Or, you can use more sophisticated controls (like the Worcester Wave) to time the pre-heat function just for the time you’re home.

The option you choose will really depend on your lifestyle. For instance, you may have a big family who are always using the hot water. Or maybe you work from home most days. In which case waiting longer for the hot water might bother you more.

How smart controls can help boost your boiler’s efficiency

Smart controls are a great way to give you better energy efficiency for your home. They can usually increase your boiler’s efficiency by a couple of percentage points – or, in the case of the Worcester Wave, up to 4%!

They can use things such as timed programmes, weather compensation, and estimate the time it takes for your boiler to heat. All of these things can help improve the efficiency of your boiler overall.

Even regular programmable controls can make a big difference to the amount of energy you can save.

I’ve recently compared some of the most popular smart controls and thermostats to give you a better idea of what’s on offer.

Advice from an experienced engineer

I recently had a customer who complained about her astronomical fuel bills. I fitted a Worcester Bosch Cdi system boiler along with a Honeywell EVO home system. It was a smaller, more efficient boiler than the system she had before. She actually had two boilers twinned together, and was burning more energy than she needed!

Since fitting the new boiler and controls, her fuel bills have gone now an incredible 48%!

If you’re looking for ways to make your heating system more energy efficient, I’d recommend getting as much information as possible. Do you research on controls, because that’s a really important part of it. Ask your engineer for advice if you need to – they should be able to advise further.

They don’t have to be the most sophisticated in the world, but ensure you get the most efficient and cost-effective system for YOU. Not what worked for your neighbour, or a family member. No two homes are ever the same.

Conclusion

Uncertain how energy efficient your new boiler will be in reality? This blog might help shed some light on the subject. The good news is that all boilers are around 92% efficient, maybe give or take a couple of percentage points depending on the model and brand you choose. However, it’s how you use it that’s important!

Smart controls can help with that. In fact, you could increase your boiler’s efficiency by an extra 4%! Pretty nifty, eh?

Any questions about energy efficient controls and boilers? Let me know in the comments’ section! I’ll be sure to reply.