Heating controls
The more control you have over your heating and hot water setup, the greater the potential to tailor it to your needs. “Many homes in the UK don’t have even basic controls,” explains Nigel Griffiths, Build It’s sustainability expert. “By putting in a standard programmable timer, you can get about 75% of the way there in terms of the potential savings.” Most of us are familiar with this simple bit of kit, which allows you to set a regular daily routine for when your heating turns on and off. Combined with room thermostats and (in the case of radiator-based heating) thermostatic radiator valves, this setup can deliver a good level of control. If you’re updating an existing property, it should be affordable to install, too – providing a quick and reliable return on your investment. But if you really want to maximise efficiency and savings, then it might be time to go to the next level. “e other 25% is about getting clever with zoning and temperature control,” says Nigel. at’s where the latest whizzbang tech comes in.
What is smart heating?
Correctly designed and installed, smart controls allow you to break your home up into zones and intelligently manage each room’s climate. If you go for a fully-integrated smart home, the brains behind it will be in your plant room – connected via core cabling. Pairing up the right tech is important, so look for options that offer maximum compatibility both now and in the future. Smart heating allows you to set detailed schedules for each circuit, every day of the week – and different products offer different levels of flexibility beyond this. e ability to fine-tune each room’s heating means you can easily achieve exactly the right climate throughout your home, and potentially save money in doing so.