If you are thinking about having your boiler replaced before the cooler months are upon us, did you know that new regulations that came into effect in April demand much higher energy efficiency measures than ever before?
New boiler installations must now have an efficiency rating of 92 per cent or above. It is estimated that around one-third of boilers fail to meet this standard. With the Energy Saving Trust saying that gas-fired heating accounts for about 60 per cent of annual energy bills, it is easy to see why these new efficiency regulations are set to save us all money in the years ahead.
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What you need to know about the changes
One of the major changes in the new regulations, alongside higher efficiency ratings, is the requirement for all new gas and boiler installations to feature a thermostat and programme timer to give you greater control over your heating. Although this is already a common feature in many homes, it was not a requirement until this latest regulation, known as Boiler Plus, came into force.
The installation of a combi-boiler must also now include an extra energy-saving measure. As the customer, you will be offered a choice of a least one of four options, all with different benefits.
What are your choices?
Experts in plumbing and heating, such as Gloucester boiler installation specialist http://www.hprservicesltd.com/gloucester-boilers/boiler-installation-gloucester/, can talk customers through the choices to help them decide what works best for them. Options include the installation of a smart thermostat, which enables you to control heating at home even when you are not there, and a weather compensating thermostat that adjusts your heating according to the temperature outside. There are also flue gas heat recovery systems, which reuse heat from the boiler to reduce waste and further improve efficiency, and load compensating thermostats, which can adjust the temperature of your radiator depending on how warm or cool your home is.
All of the above offer different advantages to suit different needs, so it is worth taking the time to talk through the options with your heating engineer to ensure you choose the right boiler set-up for your home. The choices now available can offer good energy savings over the lifetime of any boiler. With an upward trend in energy costs, it makes sense to get your boiler investment right.