Want to save money and reduce the amount of CO2 your home produces?
If you find that you’re digging deeper in your pocket every month to heat your home and generate hot water, a decent boiler could be the answer.
All appliances come with an energy rating, with the most efficient rated A going down to the least efficient rated G. The current lifespan of a boiler is around 15 years. If yours is this old, it could be G-rated. So you could make real savings by upgrading to a new model.
In fact, upgrade to an A-rated condensing boiler, and you could cut your household heating bill by up to £235 a year.
Not only will your wallet be happier, but you could save CO2, too
Carbon-friendly boilers are a crucial step in reducing overall household CO2 because boilers can account for around 60% of the CO2 emissions from a gas-heated home.
Why is a condensing boiler better?
A condensing boiler has a larger, more efficient heat exchanger. Then, when in condensing mode, it releases waste gas at a much lower temperature than a non-condensing boiler.
Put simply, it captures more heat and ensures that as little heat as possible is lost in gases through the flue. And, because you’re burning less fuel to heat your home, you’re saving CO2 as well as money.
Help with your heating
Warm Front grants worth up to £3,500 (or £6,000 where oil, low carbon or renewable technologies are recommended) are available to eligible homeowners and private tenants. If you receive certain benefits then you may qualify for a grant which can be used to pay for energy-saving measures, such as loft insulation, draught proofing and installing a more efficient boiler.
Key Facts
- High-efficiency condensing boilers can convert 86% or more of their fuel into heat, compared to around 65% for some old G-rated boilers
- Getting your boiler serviced annually will make sure it continues to work as efficiently as possible
- To ensure your heating system is working as efficiently as possible, review your boiler thermostat, cylinder thermostat and timer to match your needs more closely
Saving assumption for calculations:
The savings for the condensing boiler upgrade are for changing from an old G-rated boiler to an A-rated condensing boiler and a full set of heating controls. Savings shown are approximate and are provided for illustrative purposes only, and are based on a gas heated semi-detached house with 3 bedrooms. Savings assume a gas price of 3.80p/kWh.
Quick links
Energy Saving Trust www.energysavingtrust.org.uk
The Warm Front Scheme www.warmfront.co.uk
Team Green Britain and London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Ltd (LOCOG) do not endorse any of the products, companies, organisations, opinions or websites that have been mentioned in this article. The content of this article has merely been provided as background to, or discussion on, various topical issues relating to the environment and it is not necessarily representative of the views of Team Green Britain and LOCOG. Further, any figures and calculations noted in this article are estimates (unless otherwise specified), and may vary in light of numerous factors and readers are advised to undertake their own research in relation to the facts and figures applicable to their particular circumstance.