Brits keen to cut their energy bills might be overlooking a straightforward tweak that could lead to significant savings, without altering the warmth of their homes.
iHeat experts have highlighted how a potential £13 monthly saving can be achieved by simply setting your boiler to “condensing mode”.
Most boilers are preset with a high flow temperature between 70 and 80 degrees Celsius, which ensures rapid heating but also results in wasted heat escaping through the boiler flue, especially if you notice constant steam being emitted.
Heating Engineer Stephen Day advises that reducing your boiler’s flow temperature to 60 degrees Celsius can prevent this waste.
Stephen Day shared his insights: “Lowering the flow temperature of your boiler is one of the simplest yet most effective ways to improve boiler efficiency. It’s a quick adjustment that can save energy and money without sacrificing home comfort.”
By adjusting the boiler’s flow temperature down to 60 degrees Celsius, it enters ‘condensing mode’, which can lead to an annual saving of up to £163 for the average household. This change won’t impact the thermostat settings, although it may take radiators longer to heat up
However, the expert warned: “If your boiler is connected to a hot water tank, consult a professional before making this change to avoid unintended issues.”
If your boiler isn’t linked to a hot water tank, you don’t require any specialists or tools to alter the flow temperature.
Day explained that it takes three straightforward steps and a few seconds to reduce this heat loss. Firstly, locate the flow temperature control.
The expert clarified: “Find the dial or digital setting on your boiler panel, often marked with a radiator symbol.”
Adjust this dial to around 60 degrees Celsius if it has numbers or if not, Day suggested using the midpoint of the dial as a general guide.
After changing this setting, which could reduce your energy bill by approximately 9%, monitor your heating and adjust it if necessary.
British Gas also recently released similar advice to lower bills, advising customers they could reduce their boiler flow temperature to between 55 and 60 degrees to save £65 annually on your gas bill.
