Optimise your energy use with heating controls

What are heating controls? 

Heating controls range from dials you adjust yourself manually, to WiFi-connected smart controls that optimise your heating for you. Adding upgraded controls to an old boiler is a surefire way to more effectively manage your energy usage and cut costs. 

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Using heating controls to save money

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Timers

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By setting a timer so your heating switches off automatically at certain times - like when you’re out of the house or asleep, or after a couple of hours of warmth - you’ll stop wasting expensive heat. Plus, if you’re usually reluctant to get out of bed on cold winter mornings, you can adjust the timer to ensure your house is already cosy by the time you wake up.

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Newer timers will allow you to create multiple windows where your heating turns on throughout the day, while older models will only allow you to set one. Some even have zone controls, meaning you can isolate the heating in specific areas of your house.

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Thermostats

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When your home gets as warm as you want it to be, thermostats make sure the temperature doesn’t climb any higher, and will only switch the heating on again if it drops. Make sure your thermostat isn’t blocked by any furniture, or near a heat source like an oven that could interfere with the reading.

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By using a thermostat, you won’t be in danger of overheating your home. The ideal temperature for most people is between 18-21°C, and as long as you’re still comfortable, keeping it as low as possible will save you money - every degree helps. Once you’ve set the thermostat, it won’t matter how frosty it is outside - your house will still get as warm as you’d like, though it may take a little longer if it’s particularly cold. 

Like timers, some thermostats are more sophisticated than others. For example, some - called programmable room thermostats - mean the heating will come on at different temperatures on different days of the week. 

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Thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs)

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These are the twistable valves at the bottom of your radiator. They control how much hot water from your central heating system enters the radiator, and typically operate on a scale from 1 (off) to 6 (fully open). The lower the setting, the less energy you’re using - so as with the thermostat, aim for the lowest one that feels warm enough. To drive down costs even more, you can use these valves to turn off radiators in rooms you don’t use, such as a spare bedroom. 

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Smart heating controls

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As the name suggests, these heating controls go above and beyond regular thermostats with extra functionality that’s enabled by their connection to the internet. These features might include the ability to control your heating remotely when you aren’t home, a more user-friendly interface, insight into your usage habits, and automatic controls to save energy. 

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Smart controls even think one step ahead. For instance, they can heat up the water just in time for your morning shower, or adjust their settings based on your live location - so if you have to stay late at work, they’ll delay turning on the heating. These systems can save you money in the long run by carefully calibrating your heating and hot water usage, but come with a high price tag to set up.

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Hot water cylinder thermostats

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A hot water thermostat controls the coil in your cylinder to make sure it doesn’t get too hot, saving on energy. Ideally, the temperature should be set between 60 and 65°C.

Boiler thermostat

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The thermostat on your boiler controls the temperature of the water that flows to your radiators. Turning it down will save you money and cut your carbon footprint - but with the caveat that your home won’t get as warm or heat up as quickly. 

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You can also consider setting up a weather compensator, which automatically regulates your boiler temperature based on how cold it is outside. Or a load compensator, which has similar results, but makes adjustments based on the temperature inside your house.

As well as turning down your heating, a combi boiler will allow you to cool the water that comes from your hot taps, saving extra energy, while a regular boiler has just one control for both radiators and hot water. Its temperature shouldn’t be set lower than 65°C - otherwise, bacteria can grow in your hot water cylinder.

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Timers and thermostats can help you get a handle on your energy use. Want to learn more about ways to drive down your heating costs? Join Heatio.

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