As we all know, running the central heating in Portsmouth during the winter months can be costly, but did you know there are some simple steps you can take that can help bring down those expenses.
Your central heating boiler is an important part of your home, it supplies you with much hot water when you want it, and it keeps you warm in the colder months.
First, ensure that you have your boiler serviced/repaired at least once in a year, preferably before the winter kicks in. Your central heating boiler is just like a car engine; if left not serviced, over time, things will begin to go wrong, the same goes not only for the central heating boiler but for other components too.
If your central heating boiler is left not serviced and something is beginning to go wrong your energy bills will begin to go up, your boiler may want to work harder to reach that preferred temperature thus higher bills, if the boiler is serviced and checked over, anything that requires adjusting or replacing can be carried out.
Now, let's look at the boiler itself. If your central heating in Portsmouth is over 11 years old, you may need to consider modernizing it for a newer high efficiency condensing model. You can consider gas, LPG or oil central heating installations in Portsmouth. With the older boilers, you should know that between 35-40% of your energy is lost through the flue or pipe of your boiler, that's a big waste to your pocket.
Today's high-efficiency boilers operate at about 90% efficiency, which is a huge saving on those ever-rising energy bills, Of course, the initial cost of updating the gas, LPG or oil central heating installations in Portsmouth will be high, but it will save you in the long term.
Now let's look at some simple, low-cost ways to cut that central heating energy bills in Portsmouth.
The central heating boiler should be controlled by a time clock or programmer along with a central room thermostat. If your central heating system does not have either of these regulators, then you are throwing you hard earn money down the drain.
The best practice is to have these items fixed. The time clock or programmer will allow you to set your desired switch on time and switch off times for both the hot water and the central heating. The room thermostat will allow you to set your preferred temperature; once the temperature is attained, then the boiler will turn itself off. Some of today's smart thermostats really work by obtaining data about the outside temperature of where you stay and adjusting the boiler accordingly, thus saving you money. The same applied to the hot water temperature; if your hot water is stored in a tank, then ensure sure it has a thermostat fixed.
Another way to reduce the energy cost of your central heating in Portsmouth is to have thermostatic control valves fixed to all your radiators, this method you can regulate the temperature of every room separately, and the rooms you don't use frequently can be kept at a lower temperature or even switched off.
When it comes to radiators, you can purchase reflective foil from your local DIY store that you right behind the radiator; you will be amazed at how effective the foil truly is.
Pipe insulation is another way of reducing those energy bills. Any pipework that you can visibly see should be insulated. By fitting insulation to the pipes, you are reducing the heat loss from that pipe; you can buy pipe insulation from the local DIY store.
These are just a number of ways you can save on those central heating bills, and remember when you have the central heating boiler serviced, only use a registered gas safe company or engineer.
There are a lot of types of central heating systems out there. Modern accepted systems are all designed to high standards and should be seen safe – provided that a qualified heating engineer, someone that is registered with right bodies such as the Gas Safe Register installs and commissions them and they are then often serviced.
The sort of choice may look bewildering, and that's why it is imperative not to dive in and make a pick based solely upon price alone. You can consider Gas, LPG or Oil Central Heating Installations.
Don't forget, for instance, that some Gas, LPG & Oil Central Heating Installations in Portsmouth may have higher annual running expenses than others or have greener carbon footprints, etc. Ensure that you understand the expected annual operating costs of any systems that are competing for your attention.
Some of Gas, LPG or Oil Central Heating Installations in Portsmouth system may be basically better suited to some properties and environments than others. This means that they may all have their pros and cons associated with your situation.