Over half of your expenses on household energy bills may come down purely to heating. Paying attention to your boiler’s efficiency is key in order to slash those household costs. In this article, we are going to talk to you about how to check your boiler’s efficiency, the most energy-efficient boiler, and how you can improve the efficiency of your boiler.

How to check the efficiency of your boiler?

It is the law for all boilers to receive an efficiency rating, whether you have one or are thinking of getting one, they will have a rating. This is one of the easiest ways to check how efficient a boiler is purely on the A-G rating system. These ratings have been graded on boilers from 2015, with A being the most efficient and G being the least.

We live in an environment where technology has advanced in many ways, and the way boilers have evolved have been made with baring the eco-system in mind. All modern boilers should have a good efficiency rating. This, in theory, is because they are condensing models, meaning they are able to capture some of the energy that would undoubtedly be wasted in the form of hot gases escaping from the flue. More so, the energy that is captured is used to heat water returning from the central heating system. This will result in the burner not requiring as much heat, therefore saving fuel and increasing efficiency of running the boiler.

Unfortunately, if you do have an old boiler this could certainly have an effect on your monthly bills, potentially due to a poor efficiency rating.

Here is a breakdown of the increase in efficiency according to glowheatingservices.co.uk of old vs new boilers:

● Over 20 years old: 60% efficient

● 20 years old: 70% efficient

● 15 years old 75% efficient

● 10+ years old 80% efficient

Is Your Boiler Efficient?

Whether you’ve come to the decision to buy a new boiler or replace your existing one, there is no doubt that you’ll want one that is going to be of the highest efficiency at the lowest cost. Unfortunately, the boiler itself is just one factor to play in lowering those costs, there are many variables that you need to consider. If in doubt, take advice from a professional company like HL Plumbing & Heating Solutions who can provide you with the information and data that you will need in order to make an informed choice.

Fuel

If your household has access to mains gas, a gas-powered boiler would unhesitantly be the cheapest and efficient option for you.

One money-saving tip if you aren’t already on the mains is to contact the company that runs the gas network in your local area and enquire about getting connected. The company may even help you cover the costs, if not fully funded by them.

Type

While you can be confident that any new or replacement boiler you choose is intended to be extremely effective on efficiency, you should consider closely the sort of boiler you choose for your home. There are three main types of boilers on the market. These are models of combi, conventional models and system.

In the UK, more than half of the boilers being installed are combi boilers. The reason being is that they are designed to be a space saver due to them not requiring a hot water cylinder or a separate pump. The combi boiler heats water from the mains, giving you instantaneous hot water.

In comparison, conventional boilers do take up a significant amount of space due to them need a cold water storage tank to feed a hot water cylinder. Homes with these boilers tend to be larger and older ones, for the main purpose of high demand for hot water in various bathrooms. Unfortunately for the combi boiler, they do not deliver hot water on demand, water must be preheated.

Model

Once you’ve decided on the type of boiler you want, you’ll need to pick a model. Make sure you pay careful attention to the energy efficiency rating. By selecting a highly efficient model, you stand to save yourself a considerable amount of money over the lifespan of the boiler. You’ll also be doing your bit to reduce your carbon emissions.

Once you’ve decided upon the type of boiler, you will need to pick a model. Be careful when looking and make sure to pay close attention to the energy efficiency rating, rated A-G, with A being the most efficient. In the long run, investing in a highly efficient boiler will save you a considerable amount of money over the lifespan of the boiler.

Research is key when it comes to getting a new boiler, and note while it might save you a little cash upfront, going for the cheapest model available might actually cost you more if it's less efficient than alternative options.

What is the Most Efficient Boiler?

Taking the top spot with the highest efficiency on the market are condensing boilers, because they contain modern heat exchangers, therefore allowing them to store more energy from condensing vapour, unlike old boilers that use big cast-iron heat exchangers which lose energy in the process.

How can I Make my Boiler More Efficient?

When you’re dealing with an outdated, inefficient boiler, it’s may always be worth cutting the losses and investing in a newer, better model. By going out with the old and in with the new, you are in a position to be able to make major savings on your bills.

For example, if you live in Texas and want to cut bill surprises by making major savings there's a great opportunity through an electricity comparison site called HomeEnergyClub's which helps you avoid Texas electricity plans that can lead to a high electricity bill.

Not only is it the boiler that contributes to the overall efficiency, but how you use it can certainly fluctuate your costs. There is a wide range of controls on the market to help control your bills. Ideally, as well as the boiler itself the complete set of controls for your system will include a thermostat, a programmer or timer, a room thermostat and thermostatic radiator valves.

By making sure you have these controls, and taking time to learn them efficiently, this could certainly play a part in reducing your costs significantly.

Fact: Turning your heating down by one degree for the year will result in an overall saving of £60.

If you are looking to install or replace an existing boiler, then you will need to use a Gas Safe Register installer.

Is Your Boiler Energy-Efficient?