How to Save Money on Central Heating

Our Top Tips to Bring Down Your Heating Bills

Many people are concerned about the cost of keeping their home nice and warm, and with the price of energy on the rise, it’s something we could all do with keeping an eye on. Here at Bbright, we’re experts in heating systems, and our top tips will help you squeeze maximum value for money out of your central heating system.

• Do an audit of your boiler

If you’re looking to save money on your central heating, the best place to start is with your boiler. Boilers provide the hot water that gives a central heating system its heat, and a good one runs smoothly and efficiently. If your boiler isn’t working well, it acts like a dripping tap on your energy bills.

It’s well-known among heating technicians that boilers of a certain age are simply not as efficient as newer, more advanced models. Generally, a boiler which is over 10 years old is highly likely to be costing you money as compared to a newer, more efficient replacement. If you suspect your boiler has seen better days, it might be time to think about a boiler replacement.

It’s also worth having a look at your boiler efficiency rating. These days, condensing boilers regularly score 90%+ efficiency, which is optimal. On the other hand, standard efficiency boilers often struggle to break the 80% threshold. This may sound marginal, but could represent a surprising cost difference in the long run.

When was the last time your boiler had a good service? Like most home appliances, our boilers need a regular tune-up to make sure they’re working properly and running to their best potential – and at optimal cost-efficiency. Our friendly and professional team of engineers are available to facilitate boiler repairs and servicing as and when you need them.

• Don’t leave the heating ‘ticking over’ all day

A lot of people think that running the central heating on a low temperature all day is more efficient than turning it on and off. This is actually an urban myth. In fact, it’s far more effective to run the heating only when it’s needed, and to have it turned off at all other times.

Think of it in terms of energy loss. It’s an inevitable fact that, whenever we run our central heating, there will be some heat lost through the floors, walls, windows and ceilings. If the heating is on all day, even at a low temperature, there is a longer timeframe for heat – and money – to escape. On the other hand, a shorter period of heating time means less opportunity for wastage.

• Use your boiler’s timer

On a similar note, think about when you actually need your home to be warm. Is it really essential for the radiators to be pumping out heat when the family is sleeping, or when everyone is at school or work? If the answer is no, you probably stand to make savings by using the timer on your boiler. Doing so ensures that you’re only heating your home when there are people around to feel the benefit – again, meaning less money spent on wasted heat. Boilers typically come fitted with either a digital or an analogue (‘mechanical’) timer. Read our handy guide on how to set your boiler timer here.

• Think about which rooms need to be heated

Many people assume that, when the central heating is on, the whole house gets heated. While this can be true, if you want it to be, there is another way. 

Ask yourself: does your home need the spare bedroom and both bathrooms heated, if no one is occupying those rooms? Be selective about where the heat goes, and try to provide heat to only those rooms where people spend a lot of time, like the kitchen or living room. This can have a massive impact on the amount you spend.

• Turn down or replace your thermostat

The chances are that, if you turned down your thermostat by 1°C, no one would notice the difference. But, shockingly, even that tiny adjustment can lead to a saving of £75 per year. 

It’s good heating practice to be measured when selecting your thermostat’s temperature. After all, the best way to save money is to avoid spending it in the first place.

In a similar way to boilers, older thermostats are just not as efficient as modern units. We’ve seen old thermostats with a 5°C margin of error in their temperature detection. That means that the central heating system will actually heat the room to 5°C over the desired temperature, before powering down. This kind of inaccuracy means extra money on your bottom-line energy bill that you didn’t need to spend. If your thermostat is older than around 10 years, it might be worth considering replacing it with a newer, more accurate alternative. 

Get the Boiler Professionals On Board

Hopefully now you have a few ideas about the different ways you can save some cash on your central heating. Don’t forget, there’s also the potential to get cosy with a chunky, faithful old sweater, a blanket, or a hot water bottle – and a nice hot cup of tea never goes amiss! 

But if your boiler has given up the ghost, you won’t get any warmth from your central heating system at all, which can leave you with an uncomfortable and potentially dangerous situation. In this case, it’s time to seek a boiler replacement.