Heating controls

As their name implies, heating controls allow you to choose when the heating is on, how warm it is, and where you want the warmth. They will also make sure that the boiler is only turned on when it needs to be.

Once you have installed the controls, it is important to ensure they are used correctly. This is the easiest way to keep your rooms at a comfortable temperature and in doing so, they'll help to reduce your household's fuel bills and CO₂ emissions, too.

What makes a full set of heating controls?

A properly controlled heating system should typically have:

• A time programmer
• A room thermostat

OR:

• A combined programmable room thermostat instead of separate programmer and room thermostat.

PLUS:

• A cylinder thermostat if your home has a regular condensing boiler with a hot water cylinder.
• Thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs).

Are you making the most of your heating controls?

You may already have a full set of heating contols in your home - but are you getting the best from them?

Take a little time to find out what each control does using our quick guide below and you could save money and valuable energy. If you do have any of these controls already refer to the instruction manuals that came with them, for specific advice on your particular make and model. If you don't have any manuals to hand, copies can usually be downloaded from manufacturer's website.

What is a programmer?

Programmers allow you to set when the heating and hot water come 'On' and go 'Off' again. By installing a programmer, and heating your home and hot water only as and when necessary, you will save energy and money.

What is a room thermostat?

A room thermostat constantly measures the air temperature of a space and can be set to whatever temperature suits you best. They are usually in halls, stairs or landing areas to sense the temperature of a home's main living spaces. When the temperature falls below the setting, the thermostat switches on the central heating; once the room reaches the set temperature, the thermostat switches the heating off. Please note that the timer or programmer needs to be switched on for the thermostat to work.

Digital room termostat

What is a programmable room thermostat?

A programmable room thermostat lets you choose the times you want your home to be heated and the temperature you want it to reach while it is on. In other words, it allows you to heat rooms or the whole house to different temperatures in your home at appropriate times of the day and week. And again, by heating your home and hot water only as and when necessary, it can save energy and money too.

What is a cylinder thermostat?

A cylinder thermostat keeps a constant check on the temperature of the water in a hot-water cylinder. It switches the heat supply from the boiler on and off as necessary to keep the water at a set temperature. Installing a cylinder thermostat could save you around £25 and 120kg of CO₂ a year.

What are thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs)?

TRVs sense the air temperature around them and regulate the flow of hot water entering the radiators to keep a set temperature in a room. They can help you save money and energy, by allowing you to set lower temperatures in some rooms than in others, and to turn off the heating in rooms that aren't used.

In the majority of cases TRVs can not turn the boiler off when the whole house has reached the right temperature(s). To do that, you will need a room thermostat as well. Radiators in the space containing the room thermostat should not normally have TRVs. But if they do, you should keep the TRVs on their highest possible settings, and set the room thermostat to the required temperature instead.

* Hot advice - programmable thermostats, room thermostats and TRVs all need a free flow of air to sense the temperature. They should not be covered by curtains or blocked by furniture. Nearby sources of heat such as lamps could also stop them from working properly.

Control individual room temperatures with thermostatic radiator valves

There may also be grants and offers available to help you install a new boiler or heating controls.

Savings assumptions

Click here for more hot tips on heating your home more efficiently