If you live in a modern home, it’s likely you have an energy-efficient boiler. But millions of people live in old draughty homes, and likely have boilers that are noisy and expensive to run. New boilers can save around £300 a year on energy bills, though they can cost around £3000.
The Green Party and Lib Dems want all homes nationwide insulated for free (which would provide lots of jobs over years), as this is the only other real way of ensuring homes are energy-efficient, in a time of rising fuel bills.
Turning down the thermostat is not usually good advice, as it could cause hypothermia in vulnerable people and pets. Instead, look at simple measures like radiator boosters to stop cold air flowing out the wall into the street, then focus on finding grants and benefits, often unclaimed that can help to bring energy prices down, and help with replacing boilers.
If you use portable radiators, choose quality oil-powered ones over convector heaters, which heat up too fast, and could cause heatstroke in older people and pets.
Gas Safety and Boiler Servicing
Gas leaks smell like rotten eggs. Get everyone out and call Gas Safe Emergency Helpline (never smoke or use ignition switches). Locate your emergency control valve, to know how to switch it off.
Odourless carbon monoxide causes poisonous gas (headaches, nausea – and also in pets who get red ears/gums/lips, vomiting and may be irritable. Medical emergencies.
Signs of carbon monoxide leaks are floppy yellow/orange flames on hobs/ovens, sooty stains around appliances, pilot lights that go out and condensation inside windows. Get an annual boiler check and install a carbon monoxode alarm (a back-up, not prevention). It’s the law for landlords and hotels to have them.
Make Use of Energy Grants
- First of all, ensure you are claiming benefits (and disability benefits) that you’re entitled to. Just one phone call could see many people get £11,000 to take them onto Pension Credit (which will also entitles them to Winter Fuel Allowance).
- AGE UK Warm Homes program can help to install radiator boosters, draught excluders and energy-efficient lightbulbs, and benefits. One recipient with dementia (who had been turning off her heat to save money) ended up £9000 a year better off.
- Big Energy Credit Claim Back is helping 12,000 households to reclaim a combined £3 billion of credit, sitting in the banks of energy companies, due to advance direct debit payments. You can legally have this returned within 2 weeks. Then switch to Ecotricity!
- British Gas Bounce Back List lists over 200 places to find help with bills and grants, and includes a list of warm space cafes nationwide. Check if you’re eligible for free or discounted boilers under the The Energy Obligation Scheme.
Have an Annual Boiler Service
Whatever boiler you own, it pays to get an annual service check, both for safety and money. iHeat offers local Gas Safe registered engineers, who can do this for around £99.
Also learn how to bleed your radiators (this keeps the top of your radiators hot, by removing air). The instructions include an idiot-proof video! If the bottom of your radiators are cold, this is sludge, so ask your boiler service engineer to clean them.
If You Need a New Boiler…
If after all the above your home needs a new boiler, the government’s boiler upgrade scheme can cover part of the cost of replacing fossil fuel heating systems with heat pump or biomass boilers. If you don’t qualify, see if you can get a grant for free insulation. And keep your boiler in regular working order with an annual service.
If you get a boiler grant (or can afford the investment – new boilers carry a 10-year guarantee. Visit iHeat, to take the quick questionnaire on how to choose one. This company offers fixed transparent prices and has over 5000 TrustPilot positive reviews.
The simple question-and-answer page will help you choose and arrange to fit a boiler from local qualified engineers, often the next day. You need to know the type of boiler you have, and make a few notes on where the flue is etc (the site shows how and where to look). The same company offers fixed-price air-conditioning.
