YOU might not have noticed numbers on your boiler – but it could help you save money on your energy costs.
As the energy bills crisis continues, households are getting clued up on their household appliances in a bid to save money.
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Using your boiler correctly can slash costs.
People have only just started to realise that there are numbers listed on either a dial or a digital screen on their boiler.
Uswitch director of regulation Richard Nuedegg explains what those numbers mean – and how getting to grips with them can save you money on your energy bill.
You can only save money using his trick if you have a combi boiler, which two in three households have – here’s how.
What do the numbers mean?
Your boiler has a temperature gauge on it, which is usually on the front.
This sets the flow temperature for your boiler.
What it looks like depends on what kind of boiler you have.
You’ll most likely have two dials on your boiler – one for heating, and one for hot water.
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The heating dial will most likely have a radiator icon on it, while the hot water dial will probably have a tap on it, according to The Heating Hub.
However, the temperature might be listed digitally on a screen on your boiler.
Make sure to check the boiler manual to see how to manage the temperature of your specific model.
Usually, your boiler is set to a default temperature of between 75°C and 80°C.
If this number appears on your boiler, you might be driving up your energy bills.
“For combi boilers, the recommended output temperature for the radiators is 75oC and at least 60oC for water, which is the temperature that kills legionella bacteria,” Richard said.
Legionella only breeds in standing water and combis keep it flowing and flourishes between 20oC-45oC, so it’s important to store water at a higher temperature.
“People with a condensing combi boiler may be able to turn down the flow temperature to save themselves some money on their energy bills,” Richard added.
The savings could be big.
If you drop the temperature to 60°C, you could slash your consumption by 9%, saving you over £100 a year.
How else can I save money on my energy bills with my boiler?
If you spot rust on your boiler then it could mean you’re paying more than you need to on using your appliance.
Although rust itself does not cause issues, it could be a sign that there is a leak – which indicates there is a problem with your boiler.
It can also upset the temperature balance in your boiler, making it run less efficiently and ramping up costs.
Make sure to clear it up and save money on your bills.
There is also a list of other common boiler problems we’ve rounded up that could be pumping up your bills.
A noisy boiler could also indicate that your water pressure is low or there’s a pump failure.
If your boiler keeps switching off by itself, it could mean your boiler has low pressure.
When this happens, systems can often shut down for safety reasons.
You can try fixing the problem by yourself by tweaking the filling loop on your boiler, British Gas service and repair engineer Joanna Flowers said.
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A filling loop is the pipe that connects your central heating system to the water supply and is usually found under the sink or in a cupboard under or near the boiler.
To do this, switch off your boiler and allow it to cool – and check both ends of the filling loop or securely attached.
Open both valves to allow cold water into the system and wait for the pressure gauge to read 1.5 bar.
Then close the valves and switch the boiler on again – you might need to press the reset button in order to do this.
