Heating controls ''can reduce bills''

17/06/2008

Effective use of heating controls has been highlighted in an article explaining how to save money on heating bills.

Writing in the Guardian, Emma Lunn cites Ofgem figures which state the average family living in a three-bedroom house spends £1,044 a year on gas and electricity.

In providing tips to cut the cost of these bills, the newspaper notes that heating controls which use a programmer and thermostatic radiator valves can ensure the house is kept warm when in use, but switched off when no-one is expected to be in.

"A new, high-efficiency condensing boiler with heating controls could save you up to £200 a year," the article states, before suggesting boilers are serviced on a regular basis to avoid expensive emergency call outs.

Other tips include the installation of renewable energy equipment, such as biomass heaters and solar water heating.

According to the Energy Saving Trust, a biomass heater or boiler could save a home up to £750 per year, although this figure is dependent on how easy it is to source the wood pellet fuel.