YOU could save £150 on your bills this summer just by turning on a certain setting on your boiler.
It’s known as “summer mode” – and utilising it could actually save you hundreds.
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You may not be thinking about your boiler much this summer, but there are still ways to save money off it.
You won’t be turning on the heating, granted, there’s still a switch called “summer mode” that could be beneficial in the long run.
Energy expert Nicholas Auckland from Trade Radiators thinks it could actually save bill payers a maximum £150 over time.
However, this is a broad estimate, and how much you save still largely depends on other factors such as how old your boiler is and which model you’ve got.
He says: “A lot of modern combi boilers today have a summer function as well as a winter mode.
“This summer feature efficiently reduces fuel consumption by heating water only a few times during the day, and it means that you don’t have to turn your heating off during the summer completely.
“This helps lower energy wastage while maintaining a comfortable temperature for your water supply.
“Setting your boiler onto summer mode can mean that your boiler doesn’t seize up in the months it’s not being used as much, which can result in saving money as you wouldn’t need to get this fixed when winter comes back around.
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“Realistically, some boilers are designed to be left on permanently, so turning them off for long periods of time can actually damage them.”
If you can’t find the switch for “summer mode”, fish out your instruction manual. It should tell you there.
Otherwise, Boiler Central has a handy guide on where it might be along with some more tips to keep in mind.
More tips
Remember that turning your boiler off means you won’t have any hot water, which you’ll need for showers and washing up regardless of the temperature outside.
And it could even cost you up to £500 in the long run since it could break, says Mr Auckland.
That’s because leaving it off could lead to problems, especially if you have an older model.
The boiler’s valves and pumps can seize up when they’re out of action.
If you do decide to switch it off in the summer, make sure to turn it back on every so often to keep everything working the way it should.
And having a regular boiler service will make sure your boiler is running efficiently and safely – you should do this once a year.
The summer is a good opportunity to do this as you won’t be relying on the central heating.
A heating engineer can service your boiler in around an hour, but be prepared that you might be left without hot water until they are finished.
Boilers have a warranty of around 10 years, but if you have not had regular services the warranty does not stand.
The service can help you spot any problems before they escalate and become more expensive to fix.
It will also help make sure your boiler is safe and working efficiently.
