There are several ways in which homeowners heat their homes. However, home heating and cooling systems can operate at their optimum levels only when there are no system impediments.
These impediments will also sometimes include internal home emissions combined with leakages and system losses. This effect becomes multifold if the location is in a colder climatic region. If this sounds familiar (as it is in the UK), it makes sense to ensure that your existing heating system is working at optimum efficiency levels. If not, you should switch to a more efficient home heating system.
If you are even slightly concerned, it is best to call for professional help. Better still, if the professional is a Gas Safe registered engineer from iHeat.co.uk. This professional can run a proper check, audit the system, including its components, and recommend the best course of action. A recommendation from such an expert will make sure that your boiler will perform as efficiently as possible while making sure that it is operating efficiently, keeping your heating cost in control. A qualified engineer can also detect all minor issues early on and fix them before they become more serious.
Generally, most homes install a boiler that runs on either electricity or gas, depending on availability. Both fuel sources have their own pros and cons, but with gas-operated systems, the savings have been much more due to the intrinsic lower cost of base fuel than electricity.
Here are a few tips that could help improve the heating system for the winter.
Correct Hot Or Cold Pockets In The Home:
These pockets could be a result of a mismatch and inadequacy in the air sealing or insulation within the home. If your entire property is not adequately insulated and sealed, there will be losses due to leakages, and the system will be forced into overdrive, thereby consuming more energy to operate.
Remove Excess Dust And Humidity:
This situation could be due to two main reasons: there are gaps and leaks in the windows, doors, roof, walls and floors, or if there are ducts, then there are leakages in the duct joints from where dust is getting blown into the home. This also causes humidity.
Install Smart Thermostat:
This is the best and most recommended method to enhance and improve the energy-efficiency-cum-energy-saving opportunity for your heating system. Smart programmable thermostats can help adjust and control the temperature with multiple set-point modes, especially when you are away from home or the temperature is ambient.
Change Air Filters:
Whenever the system starts to get clogged, the main reason is the dust filters. Cleaning and changing these filters periodically helps keep the system free from dust, dirt and unwanted viruses. It is recommended to change filters just before the onset of the winter since the use of heating systems in winters is heavy-duty.
Tune And Check The Entire System:
It is equally essential for a qualified technician to conduct proper maintenance and service to first clean the entire system and prevent future problems from occurring. This activity should best be carried out just before the winter sets in so that if any repairs are required, or any replacements are required, the same can be done in time.
Irrespective of the type of heating system your home may have, it is always better to ensure that it is sized adequately for your home. If the system is of larger capacity or too small, it will most certainly end up wasting a lot of energy. Similar is the case with radiators. It is vital to service and clean all radiator coils and fins and distribution piping.
Another method to improve and enhance the efficiency of the heating system is to adopt zone control. This method works best in homes designed for different heating requirements, with each zone isolated and insulated from the other.
If your home is not designed for zone control, lower temperatures in a particular section or room could cause discomfort to other areas and rooms. This happens due to the heat loss to the cooler rooms in your home.
Alternatively, zone control will also work best when the colder sections of your home can be isolated from other areas by sealing the vents and doors between them. It is always advised to never shut off the heat entirely in an unused room of your home unless it is completely sealed off and isolated.
As mentioned earlier, it is best to conduct an audit professionally and ensure that your heating systems are perfect for the cold winter months.
