Stoke-on-Trent: Hanley mum shows leak above her boiler
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The Met Office has warned that the UK is set to be smothered in snow this week, as parts of the country brace for an Arctic blast that could see temperatures plunging to as low as -10C. The latest weather maps from WXCharts show snow hitting a large part of northern Scotland on Wednesday. A small area of northeast England around Newcastle could also be at risk. This cold snap means that thousands of families will turn to their boilers to keep their homes warm. However, as Ofgem’s price cap on energy bills currently sits at an unprecedented £2,500 a year, many households will feel the pinch. To help families save on gas bills while ensuring that their home is warm enough to survive the freeze, here are some energy-saving hacks for your boiler.
Turn down the flow temperature
The Government advised Britons to turn down the flow temperature on their boilers in a bid to save money on energy bills, hailing it as one of their “top recommended actions to help households save money on their energy bills.”
Government officials suggested: “Reducing the temperature a boiler heats water to before it is sent to radiators (known as the boiler flow temperature) from 75C to 60C.”
It also suggested “turning down radiators in empty rooms” and “reducing heating loss from the property such as by draught-proofing windows and doors”.
This tip has also been hailed by energy experts online, including recently by UK supplier Octopus Energy, which uses its TikTok account to share tips to save money and heat the home more efficiently.
The tip could save you £112 a year and reduce your energy consumption by 16 percent. The company’s heating expert demonstrated how to do it in a very useful video.
She said: “If you do one thing to cut down your heating bill this winter, do this. You can save £112 per year by turning down this dial on your boiler. It literally takes seconds.”
“I have a condensing combi boiler that has two dials on for hot water with a little tap icon, and one for heating, usually with a little radiator icon. This controls the temperature your boiler heats the water to before sending it off to your radiators.
“On most gas boilers it is set to heat the water to 80C, which is actually way higher than you need. Most boilers have flow temperatures that operate between 30C and 80C.”
You can turn it down to 60, which will be about halfway or the number three. Every boiler is different, so make sure you Google your own instructions”, adding “If you Google Octopus energy-saving tips you can find many more on our website.”
One customer shared their concerns, and said: “I mean, cause and effect… it will also get colder.” The company responded: “Setting your flow temperature between 55c and 60c will still keep your home just as warm but you can adjust the settings to what is best for you
Turn off the ‘pre-heat’ boiler function
Using this tip could significantly cut your energy bills, as many boiler keep the water running hot, meaning that households do not need to wait for the showers to get hot.
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Make sure boiler pressure is correct
Boiler pressure is the pressure of the water moving through your heating system. It is best to keep yours between 1.0 and 2.0, according to LeicestershireLive.
Bleed radiators
Bleeding radiators makes them more efficient, as it releases air inside. This trapped air creates cold spots and makes your boiler work hard.
How can you know your radiators need bleeding? Cold spots at the top are a giveaway, as is gurgling, or if radiators are taking longer to heat up.
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