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If you’re interested in deriving maximum benefits from your central heating system while also being a tech-enthusiast, a smart thermostat is just the perfect option as it allows you to control both your boiler and heating system via your mobile device. It also offers a plethora of features which enables you to heat your home more efficiently while also cutting your energy bills. Here, we’ll be taking a deeper look at the Tado smart thermostat (a user friendly smart thermostat with multiple impressive features such as a great design, self learning and LED interface).

A Tado smart thermostat is a relatively small piece of kit which is perfect for tech-lovers looking to get a first experience of the smart thermostats’ world. Although the appliance might feature just a basic design with a bit less advanced features in comparison with other thermostats like Hive, Nest and more, it however, still comes with some fantastic features which you can’t afford to miss out on. These includes geofencing, Smartphone or tablet control as well as heat scheduling. As you would have expected with any good smart thermostat, the ability to remotely control your heating is a top priority for several smart thermostats’ owners and Tado offers you this and more. Therefore, no more worries during the Winter months and wishing your home should be warm and perfect for your return. Aside this, a Tado smart thermostat also goes a long way to ensure efficient energy use and as a result, reducing the money paid on energy bills.

Overall, Tado is a nicely designed smart thermostat which is relatively easy to use and a perfect option for homeowners interested in having a taste of the world of smart thermostats or looking to replace their existing device.

Condensing boilers are the in-thing when it comes to modern heating systems in UK homes and across the globe for a good reason. This is primarily due to the fact that condensing boilers happens to be highly efficient as it enables the fuel you’re burning to heat up your home go a lot further. Having a new high efficiency condensing boiler rather than an old G-rated non condensing boiler will not only enhance your heating controls, but also save you a lot of money annually. In this article, we’re going to take you through the basics of a condensing boiler. Let’s take a closer look!

If you’re interested in getting a greener and more efficient boiler, you simply can’t afford to look beyond a high efficiency condensing boiler. This is purely due to the fact that these condensing boilers happens to make a better use of the heat they’re able to produce from burning fuels like oil or gas ( in other words, they require less heat from the burner, which makes them a lot more efficient).

So how does a condensing boiler work? Unlike a non-condensing heat-nly boiler, some heat will be wasted in form of hot gases which are released from the flue. Meanwhile a condensing boiler captures some of the heat from these gases and puts them to use for heating up water that’s coming back from your central heating system. As a result, it requires just a minimal heat from the burner which make the boiler more efficient.

You should take note that all new modern boilers are condensing boilers. Therefore if you’re planning to replace an old boiler with a new one, you’ll definitely be buying a new condensing boiler and benefit from all the efficiency and savings that comes with it.

Your LPG storage tank will need to go outside your property, possibly underground if you have limited space. There are planning rules that restrict where you can put your tank, especially if your property is listed or on designated land. Take a look at our planning permission article to find out more.

Re-pressurising your boiler means that you allow more water to enter system via the filling loop. It can be easy to re-pressurise your boiler yourself. Always check your manual, but there are some simple steps you can take to restore pressure to your boiler:

• Switch off your boiler and let it cool completely

• Make sure both ends of your filling loop are attached

• Open both valves to allow cold water into the system – you’ll hear it start to move

• Look out for your pressure gauge to show 1.5 bar

• Close both valves

• Switch your boiler back on

• Undo both ends of your filling loop and remove it. Remember some water might come out, so be ready to catch some spillage!

Ad hoc visits from your engineer to fix small issues with your heating system may actually seem cheaper and a lot more affordable, however when a boiler is ripe enough for a change these small issues are always never ending. Over some period of time, these small issues will inevitably get worse and the idea of “mend and make do will be an absolutely false economy. The best course of action in this sort of event is to find a replacement boiler to install as soon as possible. In this article, we’re going to give you some hints that’ll show you when your boiler needs to be replaced. Now let’s take a look!

✓ Insufficient hot water. Here, you’ll have to check the size of your hot water cylinder. It’s crucial to make sure that your boiler is rightly sized to power your heating as well as hot water circuit in line with your demands. You should always seek the advice of a heating expert who can recommend whether to fix or replace the boiler.

✓ Strange noises. It’s normal for components of the boiler to become worn or damaged over time. Replacing the particular component that’s causing the knocking or rattling may seem cost effective at first but more often than not, the noises usually signal a bigger issue which is likely to build up over time. Hence, it’ll be a lot more logical to replace the boiler itself.

✓ Regular repair of your boiler. It’s essential to have your heating system serviced by a Gas Safe engineer on an annual basis. However, when you have to call them more often than once a year for your yearly maintenance, it may be a wise decision to consider getting a replacement.

✓ Other events whereby you may need a new boiler includes when you can’t get the right temperature in your room, when the radiators don’t heat up as they should, when your boiler leaks and if your boiler still has a pilot light.

Biomass boilers do require some maintenance. Many manufacturers recommend servicing twice a year, although this is often included in the installation cost. Many systems have automatic fuel loading that removes the need to manually load fuel. You will need to remove the ash from the boiler, but this is as easy as emptying a vacuum cleaner.

Smart controls such as Hive are the next generation technology with more and more people now converting their houses into smart homes to control multiple devices in the homes remotely. Smart technology can be incorporated with several household devices such as security, lighting, entertainment and more. But what if there’s an oil boiler installed in your home, can you still connect your Hive with the your heating? Well, simply read on to find out.

The answer to this question is yes, most oil boilers are compatible with Hive and can substitute for either an existing conventional programmer or thermostat. The smart technology works to help derive more benefits from your heating system and they usually come with apps which can be used to control your home’s heating from anywhere with just your mobile device. Hive, however, cannot work to replace the functions of smart oil boiler heating controls to modulate your heating as they only work on an on or off basis. To make use of the modulating technology in an oil boiler, the cost of manufacture would be considerably higher while offering little advantage in efficiency for the home or property owner. Ultimately, this implies that you can’t incorporate smart technology to control the output in a similar way as a gas boiler, but there are still some ways to utilize smart technology with your oil boiler in such a way to boost your efficiency and lessen the energy bills.

Do you want to use your Hive with your home’s oil boiler? We’d advise you get in touch with an OFTEC qualified engineer if you wish to install Hive Active Heating on your oil boiler, as British Gas engineer do not offer this service.

How Much Is A New Oil Boiler?

An oil boiler is a very useful tool for providing both central heating and domestic hot water to a property by burning oil. As a result, they’re simply one of the most common alternative heating methods used in homes throughout the UK. If you’re not connected to the mains gas network, then it’s a no brainer to depend on another fuel for central heating purposes - oil. Therefore, if you’re looking to get a new oil boiler, you’d need to identify the size and price as there are a plethora of models to select from - all coming in a large array of sizes and prices. We’ve put together some important details about the prices to give you a good insight on the amount you’d have to incur to procure a new oil boiler. Let’s have a look!

Generally, gas boilers are less expensive when compared to the oil boilers. You can get a wide range of gas boilers from a starting price of £500 to £600, meanwhile you’d rarely find an oil boiler less than £1000 in the market.

The lowest priced oil boilers are typically priced starting from around £1000, and the best in class oil boilers normally costs more than £3000.

The rule is, the most expensive oil boiler is typically the largest one. So to have an idea, the bigger it is, the more money you’d have to spend. Oil boiler’s size is measured in kilowatts (kw), which showcases its power. To determine the type of oil boiler that best suits your home, the most significant factor would be the size as a bigger home will require a bigger oil boiler. You have an option to choose between the combi, conventional and the system models of oil boiler.