How to save money with the right boiler temperature

UK homeowners are now seeing huge increases in their energy bills, which combined with increased living costs, is really impacting monthly expenses. In this article, we explore how you can potentially manage your monthly heating expenses by selecting the best temperature for your boiler.

What is a healthy temperature?

Research indicates that the optimum inside temperature for a house is generally 18-20 degrees for the average, healthy and active family. It is worth noting that this may not be ideal for those who are less mobile or elderly, in which case a slightly higher temperature may be preferable.

In addition, different parts of your home may be suited to different temperatures. For example, many people find that they prefer the bathroom to be warmer and the bedroom to be slightly cooler. Your kitchen, meanwhile, may already benefit from the heat created by cooking and therefore need less additional heating. All of this can make it very confusing when it comes to setting the correct temperature for your boiler!

Save more by controlling individual radiators

Remember, your radiators each have their own temperatures, so when it comes to establishing the temperature you want in any particular room, this is best done in isolation using the thermostatic radiator valve (TRV), usually located at the bottom of each radiator. If you have chosen to fit smart controllers, then you may have different options to control this even more effectively and efficiently.

Optimising your central heating thermostat

Your central heating thermostat governs the overall temperature in your home based on the ambient temperature. It is designed to maintain a standard temperature all year round, whatever the weather. Although setting the temperature higher when it is colder will make for a warmer house, this is actually unnecessary if you have already found a comfortable temperature range.

Likewise, turning the heating down in the summer is also unnecessary since the central heating system can accommodate for the warmer ambient temperature and act accordingly. The thermostat does not control how quickly your house warms up. One of the best ways to increase efficiency is to hand over control to a smart controller, which will even be able to make adjustments based on the actual weather.

Understanding the boiler temperature

The boiler temperature control sets the temperature of the hot water that is circulating in your house to heat the radiators. Setting this unnecessarily high can be uneconomical and leave you paying more for your bills than you need to.

As a rule, setting your heating control to 75 degrees should be sufficient to give you a perfectly warm house, while also allowing your boiler to run as economically as possible. Once this is set, you shouldn’t need to adjust it. If you are having a new boiler installed, your engineer will set this to the optimum temperature.

Layer up

Did you know that by putting on an extra layer when you start to feel chilly instead of turning the heating higher, you could save money and help to protect the environment? If you are the kind of person who likes to be super warm at home, it is well worth considering wearing your favourite sweater to help keep your bills manageable.

Concerned by the energy price rise? Speak to our boiler experts today to learn more about how you can keep your bills as low as possible. Call D. R. Plumbing & Heating today on Wrexham 01978 291 923 or Mold 01352 620 125.