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Going off the boil – will gas boilers be banned?
A gas-powered boiler remains the most popular choice for most homes in the UK. The current Government is planning numerous changes, but these will be introduced gradually and will not, as many people fear, lead to a blanket ban on gas-run boilers. What will likely happen as the Government puts its Heat and Buildings Strategy into place and the UK continues its journey to achieving net zero by 2050 is that no gas boilers will be installed into new housing after 2025. Although this is something to consider if you are planning a new large or ongoing self-build project that may take you past the deadline, this won’t affect any homes that were built before 2025.
A combination of benefits
The most popular boiler type for many homes is a combination, or ‘combi’. boiler. This offers a combination of heating and hot water from one unit. The compact size, lower maintenance requirements and overall efficiency make combination boilers the most popular choice for new-build properties and small homes. As well as effectively heating your home, combination boilers also offer hot water on demand. As the boiler only heats the water as and when you need it, they are better suited for homes that only require a small amount of hot water at any one time. However, if you’re likely to need to feed multiple bathrooms with hot water for simultaneous morning showers, then you may need to look at other options.
A conventional choice for larger homes
Also known as heat-only, regular or conventional boilers, this type of heating system is better suited to larger properties or for families with higher water consumption. This is because they can take up more space and produce and store more hot water.
A conventional or traditional boiler has three main parts – a cold water tank or cistern, the boiler itself and a hot water storage tank. As a significant amount of hot water can be stored, this type of boiler is great for homes with multiple bathrooms or other outlets. The downside is that if you use all the water in the tank, you may have to wait a while for the boiler to heat up more water. Also, if you don’t use all the hot water, it will just cool down, which is a waste of both money and energy.
New innovations for new builds
If you’re working on a new-build scheme, particularly one with an adequate amount of land, you do have more options when it comes to choosing a heating system. Although these can also be retrofitted if money and space are available, more modern innovations, such as ground-source heat pumps or air-source heat pumps, are better suited to new-build projects as it means you can identify a suitable place for the external pump early on. In terms of costs, the initial outlay can be high, so these aren’t solutions that will suit all budgets. They are sustainable and can help reduce long-term operational costs, though, as these pump systems work by transferring heat from outside, whether from the air or ground, to heat the home and provide hot water. Heat is then distributed around the home via traditional radiators or a water-based underfloor heating system.
Review your radiators
If you’re planning to invest in a new central heating system, then it’s important to check that your radiators are up to the job. The general view is that you should consider upgrading them anywhere between 10 and 20 years. Fortunately, there’s plenty of choice in terms of style and size, so you can replace your radiators as and when you need to. If a full replacement job isn’t required, or if budgets won’t stretch that far, it’s a good idea to get into the habit of regularly ‘bleeding’ radiators to eliminate the trapped air that can stop them from heating up and working effectively.
Get more from your floors
Radiators can make a nice design feature, but their positioning can restrict the flow of warm air around the room and can also be limiting in terms of furniture layouts. Underfloor heating can be a great alternative, and although it can be more expensive and time consuming to install, you can make significant savings in the long run. There are two basic types of underfloor heating systems, electric or water generated, and both work by distributing heat via a network of pipes or wires embedded underneath the floor covering. The electric systems are easier to install but, owing to the rising cost of energy, may be better suited for use in only one or two rooms, such as within an extension. The water-based systems have a higher initial outlay but can work out cheaper to use overall. They can also be used to heat an entire property, so are worth considering for new builds.
Smart thinking
Whatever type of central heating system you opt for, it’s important that you know how to get the best from it and, more importantly, how to keep your energy bills under control. A great solution is the use of smart heating controls, which are compatible with most new types of boilers and have been designed to be easy to install and even easier to use. By using a smart control system from your phone, laptop or tablet, you can remotely access the smart thermostat in your home to turn your heating and hot water on or off. You can set the desired duration, temperature and even control the heating in different areas of the house so you are only ever using as much energy as you need to.
With the need to balance the books in terms of creating comfortable homes that are cost effective to heat, there is never going to be a one-size-fits-all solution. It’s always advisable to seek professional guidance on choosing and installing a new central heating system to make sure that you don’t waste your money or energy – in more ways than one.
