In recent years, heating efficiency has been an important question on a lot of people’s minds in the UK. With gas prices seeing ongoing volatility, and an intense cost of living crisis, a lot of people are wondering how they can keep their homes warm without having to break the bank. There are thankfully some very effective solutions, so long as you know where to look. From improving your insulation to servicing your existing heating system, these are a few simple ways of improving the efficiency of your heating system in the UK.
Insulation
While this isn’t strictly a form of heating, the single biggest impacting factor on heating efficiency in most homes lies in how insulated your property is. Even with the most efficient heating system, if all of that heat almost immediately escapes your home, you will still end up spending a fortune trying to keep your space at a comfortable temperature. If you haven’t already had one done, it could be worth conducting a home energy audit. Someone will be able to come round and check how effective your property is at retaining heat, giving it a rating at the end. Simple and effective ways to improve your property’s insulation could include investing in insulated curtains, or installing insulation in your loft – it needn’t cost a lot, and can make your home a lot more comfortable to live in.
Heat pumps
When it comes to actually heating your home, one of the most efficient solutions nowadays is the heat pump. Heat pumps draw heat from the surrounding environment – either from the air or from the ground – and then, via a complex system, essentially amplify that heat to warm the water supply and property itself.
In terms of pure efficiency, heat pumps are around 3-4 times more efficient than gas boilers. What this means is that they can put out around 3-4 times more energy than is needed to be put in, compared to burning gas. Because electricity is comparatively more expensive than gas, however, this doesn’t equate to such a substantial cost saving. They can still often be cheaper than gas boilers, but not normally 3-4 times cheaper.
Serving your existing heating system
No matter what heating system you currently have in place, you can almost certainly improve its efficiency substantially by simply carrying out regular services. Gas boilers need to be regularly serviced by an engineer from somewhere like Able Plumbers to ensure that they’re running both safely and at optimal efficiency. You’ll want to do this at least annually – leave it any longer, and the boiler will likely be costing you more than necessary to operate.
Optimising your home’s heating efficiency isn’t too difficult, but it does require a little bit of ongoing work. By improving your insulation, investing in an efficient heating solution (such as a heat pump) or servicing your existing heating system, you can make sure that you’re able to keep your home warm, dry and comfortable, without spending any more than necessary.
FAQs
Improving insulation combined with an efficient system like a heat pump or a well-serviced boiler delivers the best overall efficiency.
Good insulation prevents heat from escaping, meaning your heating system works less and costs less to run.
Yes, heat pumps are typically three to four times more energy efficient than gas boilers in terms of output versus input.
Not always, as electricity costs more than gas, but they can still reduce overall heating bills in many homes.
Yes, loft insulation is one of the most cost-effective upgrades and can significantly reduce heat loss.
A gas boiler should be serviced at least once a year to maintain safety and efficiency.
Yes, regular servicing helps boilers run more efficiently and prevents energy waste caused by wear or faults.
A home energy audit assesses how well your property retains heat and highlights areas where efficiency can be improved.
They can help reduce heat loss through windows, especially in older or poorly insulated properties.
