As the UK looks forwards to what will almost certainly be a few short weeks of sunshine surrounded by months of clouds and rainstorms, there’s no better time to invest in energy efficiency measures and to prepare your home for the volatile British weather.
Almost everyone has turned off their central heating system by this point, with the natural ambient temperature more than enough to keep them warm, so any central heating repairs, boiler replacements and eco-friendly home improvements will cause less stress in the coming weeks and months than they will during the rest of the year.
So to save money on your gas and electricity bills and to ensure your house is cosy and comfortable in all kinds of weather conditions, consider the following hints and tips!
Central heating over the summer
Obviously, you won’t want to use your central heating when the weather is swelteringly warm, but if you turn your boiler off throughout the summer, you might turn it on again in the winter only to experience a sudden and immediate boiler breakdown.
To keep your boiler functioning properly, turn it on for a couple of minutes around once a month. You don’t need to leave it on for too long – just long enough for your radiators to warm up slightly.
But don’t leave your heating on all the time, of course; this is a waste of money and energy. Combi boilers should be set to supply hot water only, aside from that brief monthly period you turn the central heating on to keep the pipes and components working properly.
If you need to leave your central heating on overnight over the summer, then you should really consider improving the energy efficiency of your home.
Boiler replacements
If you have an old boiler, there’s no better time to replace it than in the summer – if you wait until the winter, you will have to endure a cold house while you wait for the boiler to be replaced, and you could risk a boiler breakdown the longer you delay buying a replacement.
Not only are older gas boilers more likely to break down than newer models, but they can be more expensive to repair, as their components may no longer be on general sale and must therefore be purchased from a specialist retailer. This means that many old boilers are deemed as beyond economical repair when they break down.
You don’t have to spend a fortune on a replacement boiler – contact your energy supplier or the local authority, tell them you are looking for boiler replacement grants, and see what they have to offer.
Energy efficiency
You might think that insulation, draught proofing and other energy-efficient home improvements solely exist to keep your home warmer over winter and reduce your dependence on your central heating system, but they can also keep your home cooler during the warm summer days by preventing the sun’s heat from penetrating your walls, roof and windows.
If you are reliant on air conditioning and electric fans in the summer, or if you find your home is roasting hot during the daytime and chilly at night, then you are likely spending money unnecessarily and could improve the habitability of your house by investing in a few simple energy efficiency measures.
Again, local authorities and energy companies have a range of grants and loans they can provide to you to go towards the cost of energy efficient home improvements, so contact your gas and electricity supplier and your council to find out what money you could be entitled to.
Suffering from a boiler breakdown or simply want a Gas Safe check?
Don’t attempt to touch any part of your boiler or central heating system if you’re unsure. Did you know? It’s illegal for anyone to use a gas appliance if they think it’s unsafe. It’s always better to be safe than sorry as you could make things worse.
Instead, call us on 0345 3192 247 and we can help. Our technical team will run through some simple troubleshooting to see if your problem can be resolved on the phone or they can book one of our friendly and knowledgeable Gas Safe registered engineers to get you back up and running as soon as possible.
