Don’t Get Caught In The Cold With A Broken Down Boiler
There’s no such thing as a good time to purchase a new central heating system. But there certainly is such a thing as a bad time and that’s when it’s freezing cold outside!
Get the central heating system information you need BEFORE you need it. So when the time comes you’ll be ready!
When it comes to keeping your home warm, energy efficiency is king.
At the end of the day, energy costs money … no wait, energy IS money, and the more energy your gas central heating system keeps within its self contained system, the more of that energy is turned into valuable heat for your home … and the less of your hard-earned money that’s going up in smoke.
If you’re thinking it’s time to replace your home’s central heating system, we have a list of the 10 most efficient systems you should consider and why you should consider them.
1. Combi Boilers
A combi boiler or combination boiler is a high-efficiency water heater and central heating boiler in one unit.
- Combis eliminate the hot water tank, saving space and energy.
- Water isn’t stored and is heated instantly throughout your home at mains pressure, so you don’t need a pump (this saves space AND energy).
- Because of their compact design, combi boilers also save on installation costs since there’s less pipe work. Installation times are generally shorter as well.
See? Combis are efficient central heating systems in every way imaginable.
2. Combi Condensing Boilers
Most boiler systems lose heat energy in the gases produced by their exhaust systems; which is bad for the environment and wastes energy, right?
Condensing boilers don’t do that.
Condensing boilers actually reuse heat from exhaust gases that would normally be released into the atmosphere by converting the water vapor from the exhaust gas into liquid condensate.
They do this by using larger heat exchangers which allows them to extract more heat from the fuel they use and lose less heat through the flue process. Keeping the gases inside the system cuts down on carbon emissions, which is good for the environment and cuts down on energy loss – which is good for your pocketbook!
3. System Boilers
Like traditional boilers, system boilers provide central heating and hot water by way of a storage cylinder.
- They can be used as a standalone central heating system, or as part of renewable systems like solar thermal.
- System boilers also differ from traditional boilers in that much of the componentry is built into the system boiler itself, which means faster installation and less energy loss.
4. System Boiler with Unvented Cylinder
A system boiler with unvented cylinder gives you the advantages of a system boiler, but with some additional benefits as well.
- Unvented cylinders operate directly from the mains water supply, providing high pressure flow throughout the home.
- Also, unvented cylinders are able to use immersion heaters resulting in less reliance on the boiler.
- Unvented cylinders aren’t reliant on forces like gravity because they connect to mains water supplies, and can therefore be placed in any suitable location throughout the home.
5. Zone Heating System
Zone heating systems are designed to accommodate the many ways you use your home, are standard practice on all new central heating systems, and are required by the current Building Regulations. (You can read more about that here.) This means each floor of the house can be individually controlled for time and temperature.
The primary benefits of zoning are comfort, efficiency and control.
Sometimes family members can’t agree on temperatures, or maybe there are places throughout your home that don’t require heating at a given time. Zoning lets you divide your home into areas, focusing energy on the areas that require it, while scaling back on the areas that don’t.
6. Outside Weather Compensating Controls
These central heating systems measure outdoor temperatures and allocate only the energy required to regulate indoor temperatures, which keeps you comfortable, while saving energy.
For instance, milder days mean less time and energy is required to heat your home. These systems have the ability to sense this and delay switching on your system.
They can also “learn” the time necessary to heat your home under different weather conditions, allowing it to scale back on the energy necessary to heat your home on milder days. Or switch the heating “on” in an “off” period if the temperature falls below a set level.
7. Thermostatic Radiator Valves
These valves will automatically turn the radiator temperature up or down depending on the room temperature. They are designed to provide a steady room temperature without wasting energy through overheating or overcooling.
If you leave the valve set at No.3 for example, it will keep the room temperature at about 18 – 20 degrees which is comfortable for most people. If the room is warmer than 20 degrees, the radiator will cool down as the thermostat closes.
In rooms with solar gain, the thermostat will sense this and close the valve as the room is up to temperature.
TIP: Try to avoid turning the valve to maximum or minimum as this will prevent it from working properly. If a room has several radiators, all the valves should be set to the same number.
If you decide a room is too warm or not warm enough, try adjusting the valve setting by just one point at a time and then leave it for an hour or so until the room temperature stabilises at the new setting.
8. Programmable Thermostats
Programmable thermostats are pretty much exactly what they sound like. They’re thermostats you can program to turn your central heating system on and off when you need them to.
This is great for efficiency because you don’t need to pay to keep your home warm if you don’t plan to be there. And you can tell your programmable thermostat when you ARE planning to be home and it will heat your home to the temperature you want when you get there.
All of the comfort you want from your central heating system, without any of the wasted energy! That’s great!
9. Learning Thermostats
Programmable thermostats are great, and if you can figure out how to use them, they save you hundreds of pounds on your heating bill.
Trouble is, they’re not that easy to learn, and if programmed improperly, you run the risk of not saving as much as you can. Enter, learning thermostats. Learning thermostats actually learn your usage habits, can sense when and when you’re not home, and are very easy to use. They also feature smartphone apps that let you set them even after you’ve left your house.
10. Smart Thermostats
Most thermostats take a reading from one room in your home and apply it to every room. Smart thermostats are the thermostats of the future, and know that every room has a different temperature.
They can adjust based on your home’s unique energy profile, the weather outside and your schedule … so almost no energy is wasted expending more than necessary in a room that doesn’t need it!
They’re also accessible from anywhere in the world by smartphone. So if you’re in Helsinki and your daughter in Edinburgh leaves home with the thermostat running, you won’t be heating a house full of plants while you’re away. You can just shut the heat off with your smart phone.
If you’re not currently using one of the central heating systems featured in our Top 10 List, chances are you’re losing more money than you should be on your heating bill.
And while there’s never a good time to replace your central heating system, having the facts you need to make a smart decision can make the process go a lot smoother.
Did you find this information helpful? Let us know!
