Savings expert David Holmes has pointed out that excessive gas consumption could be reduced by adjusting the flow temperature on your boiler.
With the colder weather on its way and energy prices remaining relatively high, many households will be eager to save money. Holmes said one key to this is adjusting the boiler’s flow temperature, which:
“…most people leave at the factory setting of 80°C, which causes the system to use more gas than necessary. Instead of heating water to such high temperatures, setting the flow temperature between 55-60°C allows the boiler to operate in condensing mode, reducing the amount of wasted energy that is produced.”
This happens because the flow temperature controls the temperature at which water leaves the boiler. The cooler this is, the cooler the water is as it returns from the central heating system. This in turn determines the efficiency of the condensing process in capturing otherwise wasted heat from the flue gasses. Holmes says a lower temperature also helps boilers to last longer because it reduces the thermal stress on components.
It’s worth pointing out that this only applies to condensing boilers. Many modern boilers already modulate the flow temperature to keep it low once the desired temperature has been reached, but savings can still be made.
If you still have an old non-condensing gas boiler, you could be wasting a lot of energy. Contact Xgas to arrange a modern boiler installation in Chester, and explore how you could use financing to spread the cost.