Are massive heating bills leaving you cold? From the latest sustainable heat pumps to warming stoves and energy-saving radiators, we reveal how to save money and create a cosy home.
If you are designing a new-build or planning a big renovation, heating your home should be one of your first major considerations. Especially when keeping our houses warm without harming the environment is becoming ever more critical.
Planning your heating early means you can budget for things like underfloor heating. You can also decide whether to create a focal point with a stove, or carefully plan the placement of radiators.
So, to help you make an informed decision, KBB journo Amanda Cochrane breaks down the benefits and drawbacks of the most popular home heating solutions…
The pros and cons of gas central heating
Gas central heating remains the most popular form of heating in the UK. It’s efficient, provided you look after your boiler. And, with a regular service, a gas boiler can last decades without major problems.
When it reaches its shelf life, replacing your boiler may be costly. However, a new model will increase the value of your property. Plus it will help reduce energy bills, therefore saving you money long-term.
If you do opt for gas central heating, consider installing weather compensation controls for your boiler. Modern A-rated condensing gas boilers operate most efficiently at lower temperatures. However, our heating systems are typically designed with a flow temperature that will heat the home in the coldest parts of the year, and for the remaining part, these higher temperatures are unnecessary.
“By installing weather compensation controls instead of a standard central heating thermostat, the flow temperature is adjusted up and down depending on the temperature outside,” says Rob Nezard, managing director at UKRadiators.com. “This can result in significant efficiency and savings.”
Consider smart controls
A smart thermostat will connect your boiler to the Wifi, giving you 24/7 access to your heating controls from anywhere. And, if you opt for a system that includes thermostatic radiator valves (also known as TRVs), you will have room-to-room control, allowing you to set specific temperatures for each space in your home.
“This also helps to save on energy bills, as you will no longer be heating rooms that don’t need to be heated,” says James Clark, technical training manager at Wiser.
“On average, over 50% of a home’s energy consumption is used for heating and hot water. With smart heating, you could save up to 30% off your annual energy bills,” he adds.
The pros and cons of the woodburning stove
Available in contemporary and traditional styles, the stove will add character to your property, with the latest designs proving to below emission and low carbon, too, provided you use renewable and sustainable fuel. Even better, stoves are cost-effective when it comes to home heating solutions.
“With the increasing costs of gas and electric, more and more people are looking at woodburning stoves as heat sources for their homes,” says Jon Butterworth, director of Arada, who admits the initial installation costs can be high. “Once this outlay has been paid for, the only running costs moving forward will be the logs and a small amount for maintenance per year. ”
And, if you decide to sell your home, stoves remain high on buyers’ wishlists, adding value to your property. Just be sure to look for an Eco design stove. These have emission and efficiency set standards.
Before purchasing, also ensure you’re not in a ‘smoke control area’, where you can’t release smoke from a chimney. (Find out more by visiting uk-air.defra.gov.uk)
Installing a heat pump
The heat pump is the future and, in countries like Sweden, 40% of homes are already heated that way, says Tom Coles, managing director at Mitchell & Dickinson. According to Tom, government plans to reach net zero by 2050 include an expectation for 60% of our homes to be heated using a heat pump.
Meanwhile, the Energy Saving Trust revealed that the average household generated 2,690 kg of carbon dioxide (CO2) from space heating and hot water heating in 2020. By 2050, we need to reduce this to just 140 kg per household.
If you live in a property with enough storage space outside, switching from a traditional gas boiler to an air or ground-source heat pump can make a great deal of sense. The government’s boiler upgrade scheme, a grant of £7500 offered to homeowners looking to replace gas, oil and LPG boilers for a more carbon-friendly AirSource Heat Pump, will help you along the way.
The heat pump works by extracting heat from the ground or the air, is energy efficient and low-carbon, and can be suitable for many types of homes. However, for older homes, it’s not so straightforward.
“Many old homes are cold in the winter, as they are draughty and poorly insulated with single glazing,” says Tom. “So, homeowners of old properties are sceptical about heat pumps, particularly as we are used to cold winters where our gas boilers are chugging all day and night, and our bills rocket.”
If you live in an older home and are planning on investing in a heat pump, get an insulation survey first. “The installation company needs to measure your windows to work out the heat loss to size the heat pump,” adds Tom, who recommends investing in draught-proofing and secondary glazing as well as loft and underfloor installation before installing a heat pump.
Insulation is important
There’s no point in installing the latest home heating system if your insulation is poor. It will simply leak out in minutes. A poorly insulated home can cost you a fortune.
“Draught-proofing your home and topping up the insulation in your loft is one of the simplest ways to save money and energy,” says Liz Hunter, director of Money Expert. “Better insulation helps reduce energy consumption overall, including what you use for heating your home. Moreover, a quarter of your home’s heat is lost through the roof. So keeping this warm air inside means your home will stay warmer for longer. DIY-fitting foam insulation around exposed hot water pipes could cost as little as £15; the more you add, the more money you’ll save.”
The pros and cons of underfloor heating
While underfloor heating can potentially be a very large investment, it is a great way to ensure consistent heat throughout a kitchen or living space. “It can also consume less energy and lower your bills, as it only needs to be heated to around 29°C or lower, compared to traditional radiators, which typically need to be between 65°C and 75°C to effectively warm up a room,” explains Alex Heslop, trend expert at Flooring Superstore.
“But you’ll need to consider which flooring you team it with. Real wood flooring isn’t advised, as the planks can become damaged with the fluctuations in temperature. However, engineered hardwood flooring, or Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT) can look as good as real wood and are compatible with underfloor heating.”
A wet underfloor heating system consists of pipes hidden in the fabric of the building. Water flows through these to heat the floor. A dry, commonly referred to as electric, system, has electric cables flowing underneath the floor.
“Wet systems are more cost-efficient to run but more costly to install,” advises Lincoln Smith, managing director at Custom Heat. “Choosing a reputable and high-quality installer will minimise the risk of repairs needed in the future,” he adds.
So, which will you choose?
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