What’s the best way to reduce heating bills in a climate like the UK?
If your house is not brand new, then your gas central heating system is likely to be a collection of devices that are not designed to work well together.
It is not like buying a new car -
Here the engine, brakes, wheels and suspension are all selected to work well together. The engine is carefully tuned.
The boiler is just the engine of your heating system. It might be “top of the range” like the car. But -
- The radiators (equivalent of the wheels) are usually too small.
- The controls are too often in the wrong place and don’t work properly with the chosen boiler.
- Tuning is terrible. Your heating engineer won’t fix this for you at the time of boiler servicing or a gas safety check.
This is why it is easier to save fuel by working on your heating system than by insulating your house.
Let’s compare the benefits of insulation with tuning your gas heating system
The pictures below represent what you use in units of gas (using figures from the Republic of Ireland), assuming that 15% of gas is for hot water.
This saving will be welcome but the costs of retrofitting can be eye watering!
Work will be disruptive and messy.
Your project may reduce airflow where it is needed, or unmask building faults.
It could cause dry rot, wet rot or damp.
It is also the very best you can achieve using insulation alone in our climate.
So, do insulation carefully and after the easy fixes.
Poorly Insulated Homes
Well Insulated Homes
