Another tip to keep your central heating green
Here’s another important piece of knowledge needed to make our central heating systems efficient and green for the coming winter. According to the National Energy Foundation good heating controls are vital for a green system. Even if you have an A rated energy efficient boiler, if it’s running too hot or for too long, or when people are not in the house, energy is being wasted. It’s probably safe to say that even super efficient boilers are less green than switched off boilers.
According to the NEF, good controls require a minimum of four things:
• an electronic timer or programmer that allows separate switching of heating and hot water
• a room thermostat wisely positioned in the right place
• thermostatic radiator control valves (TRVs) which turn radiators off when the room has reached the right temperature
• separate thermostatic control on the hot water system (if you have a hot water cylinder)
There are also a host of other funky extra gadgets which you can add to your heating system to boost your green credentials, which I’ll try to cover shortly. Keep an eye out.
Related stories: Does energy rating on central heating matter? | Video: Non global warming to keep you cosy all winter
