Controls
Effective heating controls are a vital part of an efficient boiler-powered central-heating system.
Clever use of controls can help you minimize energy consumption by ensuring each room is at the right temperature for comfort.
This will keep your home cosy and cut your energy bills.
Top tips for using boiler controls and thermostats Adjusting room thermostats A room thermostat works by sensing the air temperature in the room.
It switches on the heating when this falls below the thermostat setting, and switches it off when the required temperature is reached.
Because of this: your room thermostat should be positioned away from your boiler it will need a free flow of air to sense the temperature, so make sure yours isn't covered by curtains or blocked by furniture it should be set away from electric fires, TVs, walls or table lamps, as these may stop the thermostat from working properly.
It's best to install the room thermostat in the room you want to be warmest, such as the living room.
Mechanical boiler timers
A simple mechanical timer usually gives you three options for running a central heating system
the boiler is off the boiler is providing heat the boiler turns on and off at set times.
Mechanical timers usually have a large round dial with a 24-hour clock.
You turn the dial until it is set to the correct time and then leave it to switch on and off. This doesn't affect the temperature the boiler is set at.
For that, you will need a temperature control on your boiler, or a thermostat.
Mechanical timers are simple to set, but your boiler always turns on and off at the same time each day.
This may not suit you if you have different weekday and weekend routines.
it's worth thinking about getting a programmer, or a smart thermostat. Using built-in boiler controls
Built-in boiler controls are useful if your boiler is easy to access, but not if your boiler is in a loft or garage.
Boiler on/off switch.
The simplest boiler control is the on/off switch. Turning it on puts the boiler in standby mode until it needs to provide heat for your hot water or heating,
for example, because you have a thermostat and the room is cooler than the temperature.
Temperature controls for your heating and hot water
Some boilers have separate controls for the temperature of the radiators and hot water.
This allows you to set the temperature of the water that leaves the boiler to heat the house.
If you lower the temperature, your boiler will operate as efficiently as possible. If you increase the temperature, you will heat your radiators more quickly in cold weather. It's advisable to set your boiler temperature to 82°C in winter (between medium and high) and adjust down if radiators feel too hot, or up if not warm enough set your boiler temperature to 65°C in summer (between medium and low) and adjust down if your water feels too hot.
If you have children, being able to control the hot water temperature is essential, as you can prevent scalding hot water from reaching the taps.
It can also provide a boost in cold weather if your hot water is not quite hot enough. If you don't have separate controls for this, it's worth speaking to a heating engineer about getting thermostatic mixing valves to regulate the temperature for your bath, shower or sinks to avoid scalding.
Zoned heating is the most efficient setup
The most efficient systems will allow you to have zoned heating, so you can set different temperatures in different rooms.
One way of doing this is through a smart thermostat system, which will also allow you to control your heating from your phone when you're away from home.
Get zoned heating for the most efficient system Temperature tips
Setting your thermostat to 19°C or 20°C is usually adequate
Recommended night-time temperature is 16-19°C Turning down your thermostat by just 1°C can save you £80 to £85 a year, according to the Energy Saving Trust.
But it's worth keeping in mind that babies should sleep in a room with a temperature between 16°C and 20°C,
What heating controls work with what heating systems?
There are five main types of heating controls that can help you to save money on your heating,
some of these we have mentioned above, but not all controls will work with all heating systems.
Room thermostat – measures how warm your room is and adjusts the boiler accordingly.
You can get programmable or timer versions of these.
Thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) – allow you to adjust the temperature of individual radiators and turn them off completely.
Timer – turns your boiler or hot water on or off at set times,
such as off when you're at work, and on ready for when you get home.
Programmer lets you set different times and temperatures for your heating and hot water for different days of the week.
For example, you might want your heating to be hotter and on for longer at the weekend than during the week.
Smart thermostat allows you to control the temperature in your home when you are not there,
for example from your smartphone or tablet.
The heating controls you need will depend on the type of heating system you have - combination or heat-only - and whether or not your hot water comes directly from your boiler.
When you have a new boiler or heating component installed, you should discuss with your heating engineer the controls you need for your home.
But to make sure you're well informed before you call someone in,
here's what controls you should ideally have
Controls to use with heat-only boilers What is a heat-only boiler?
There are two types of heat-only boilers.
The first are supplied by cold water from a cylinder that sits high up in your home, usually in your loft.
Coldwater then flows down from there to a gravity-fed hot water cylinder (as mentioned above), where it's heated and then sent around the house.
The other type doesn't require a tank in the loft, but instead just one hot water cylinder.
Heat-only boiler controls To make the most of your heating and to save money, both types of heat-only system should include
a room thermostat, preferably a timed or programmable one a hot water cylinder thermostat a hot water cylinder timer hot water cylinder insulation thermostatic radiator valves on all rooms except the one with the room thermostat a boiler timer a boiler interlock
motorised valves automatic bypass valve.
Controls to use with combi boilers
There are a few types of combination (combi) boiler, but in essence, they all take cold water directly from the mains supply and heat it when it’s needed, removing the need for any cylinders or water storage tanks. Combi boiler controls a room thermostat, preferably a timed or programmable one, thermostatic radiator valves in all rooms except the one with the room thermostat, a boiler timer, a boiler interlock,
motorised valves, automatic bypass valve.
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