A new boiler is not always necessary – and might even be a waste of lots of hard earned cash. Installing new boiler controls will let you set your heating and hot water to come on and off when you need them in different parts of your home. They will allow you to heat the areas of your home when and where it’s needed most, and you get to decide how warm you want each room to be at different times of the day. Installing a room thermostat, programmer and thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) could save you up to £150 a year.

Here are a few helpful hints to economically heat your home:

• Check your boiler programmer and room thermostats. Is your heating schedule set to be as efficient as it could be? Even turning the thermostat down by one degree centigrade in a rarely used room could net a significant yearly saving
• Keep radiators clear of all junk to maximise their heat circulation potential. Curtains, washing, shrouds and furniture will significantly hinder their effectiveness
• If your radiators are fitted with TRVs, set them low and gradually increase the temperature to a comfortable level for each room. Setting them really high won’t actually increase the room temp quicker – that’s down to your boiler capacity and radiator size – but you will overheat the room and possibly forget about some rooms, wasting lots of valuable energy