Energy Efficiency:
Boilers are amongst the least
energy efficient appliances in your home, they alone account
for up to a third of all domestic CO2 emissions. As the
current lifespan of a boiler is 10-15 years, making the
wrong decision about what boiler to have really could waste
considerable amounts of your money and contribute to climate
change.
A heating system that uses a
high efficiency condensing
boiler with
the correct heating controls can save you as much as 40% on
your heating bills. It really is time to consider whether
you have the right boiler.
The
Energy Efficiency Trust
Recommended explains what you need to look out for when
shopping for the most energy efficient products and there
Energy Efficiency Recommended
Database
will give you the best guidance on the most up to date
products on the market.
Technical Facts:
A high efficiency condensing
boiler is the most efficient boiler available. It converts
more than 88% of the fuel it uses into heat, compared to 72%
for conventional types.
High efficiency condensing
boilers have either a larger or second heat exchanger which
saves the heat which would normally escape up the flue in
normal boilers. This reduces the temperature of the flue
gases to a point where water vapour produced during
combustion is 'condensed out'. Hence the name 'high
efficiency condensing boiler'.
Did you know that if
everyone in the UK installed a high efficiency boiler, we
would save enough money to pay the entire annual fuel and
power bills of over two million households?
High efficiency condensing
boilers are established products and can be fitted to most
new and old heating systems. They are easy to install and
can be bought for oil and gas-fuelled homes, even LPG
(liquefied petroleum gas). These boilers are often no larger
than conventional boilers. You can buy condensing boilers as
either combination boilers, which heat up hot water on
demand, or conventional system boilers, where a separate hot
water cylinder is required.
The easiest way of telling
whether your boiler is energy efficient or not is by
checking how old it is. If it is between 10-15 years old
then it is likely to be a less efficient boiler. If your
boiler is quite old then replacing it with a new high
efficiency condensing boiler with the right heat output for
your home will save you around a third on your heating bills
straight away. If your existing boiler is 15 years old or
more, or needs a major repair, then replace it altogether
will avoid waste and expensive call outs. Similarly, if
you're refitting your kitchen or bathroom, why not minimise
cost and disruption by fitting a new high efficiency
condensing boiler at the same time?
As of April 1st 2005, a
change in the building regulations legislation means that
most boilers fitted after this time must be high efficiency
condensing boilers.
