Learn what the energy efficiency of your boiler is, how it is measured, and the different factors that can affect the efficiency of your boiler. Let’s start.
Is it possible for a new boiler to reduce your gas bills?
Yes, absolutely. Nowadays, every new boiler you can buy in the UK is at least 90% efficient, or A-rated. However, the older boilers were built to different standards. They can be as low as G-rated – which means less than 70% efficient.
The most usual change for British Gas engineers is the exchange of the old D-rated boiler for the new A-rated one. This could cut the typical household’s annual gas bills by up to 23%. The actual meaning of this in pounds and pence is dependent on the type of home you have and how well insulated it is.
What is the significance of a boiler’s energy efficiency?
- You depend on your boiler for the hot water all year round. And in the colder months, you depend on it for heating too, making it crucial to have a gas safe registered engineer service your system to prevent any gas emergencies.
- All that is quite energy-consuming – over half of the average home’s total energy use in fact. Thus, the efficiency of your boiler has a great effect on your finances as well as on your carbon footprint.
- A boiler’s efficiency is the quantity of energy that actually gets into heating your home, instead of being wasted or lost.
- If your boiler is 90% efficient, then only 10% of the energy is wasted.
- However, if your boiler’s efficiency is 70%, you will lose 30%, and without periodic service from a gas safe registered engineer, you may not notice a gas leak.
- Obviously, you still pay for 100% of the energy you use – so getting the maximum heat from that energy makes a lot of sense.
What is the boiler energy efficiency measurement?
EP and SEDBUK are the main efficiency ratings for boilers. Although calculated differently, they essentially convey the same message.
What is ErP?
ERP stands for “Energy-related Products.” It is the European rating system for boilers and other heating appliances.
Every new boiler has an ErP energy label that classifies its efficiency from A to G. The modern gas boilers in the UK are now A-rated by law, so they are very efficient.
What is SEDBUK?
The SEDBUK rating system, ‘Seasonal Efficiency of a Domestic Boiler in the UK,’ has two different versions.’
SEDBUK 2009: The 2009 system assigns each boiler an exact percentage score. If you want to get into the details. Look for this, but a few percentage points difference will make a slight difference on your bill and ensure you’re up to date on gas safety measures. Replacing the old boiler with a new one can achieve significant savings.
SEDBUK 2005: This is the old system that many manufacturers still use, often ignoring the advancements in gas safety that could prevent carbon monoxide leaks. Like ErP, it rates boilers from A to G. A-rated boilers score more than 90% for efficiency, while G-rated boilers score less than 70%.
What is the reason that the new boilers are more energy efficient?
The UK, in 2007, passed a law that made it obligatory for all new boilers to be ‘condensing’ boilers, a step forward in both energy efficiency and gas safety. This new design is much more efficient than the old boiler style.
Condensing boilers use the heat from the hot gases expelled in the flue instead of letting all that heat go to waste. A condensing boiler will always be at least 90% efficient, or even more.
Thus, if you are asking yourself how efficient your home’s boiler is, the answer is most likely ‘very’ only if it was bought and installed recently.
What are the reasons for the replacement of an old boiler?
The older boilers are much less efficient than the modern condensing boilers.
An older boiler’s energy efficiency can be as low as 60%, which is a G rating, and at this efficiency, the risk of carbon monoxide leaks can be higher without regular service. With a G-rated boiler, 40% of the energy you pay for is wasted instead of heating your home.
Therefore, upgrading an old boiler to a new, more efficient one is an excellent way to save money.
Because more energy efficiency implies fewer CO2 emissions, it is also good for the environment.
Which type of boiler is safe and most energy efficient?
If you choose between a conventional, combi, or system boiler, none is more energy-efficient than the others. However, selecting the appropriate one for your property and family size will make you use it more energy efficiently.
For instance, if you are in a small house with a small family, a combi boiler is probably the best choice for you. A combi boiler produces hot water only when needed, so you won’t store hot water that never gets used.
Does boiler size have an influence on energy efficiency?
Of course, the selection of the appropriate size boiler for your property and your family is of great importance in the energy efficiency.
The boiler size is the same as its heat output. This is measured in kilowatts (kW).
If your boiler is not big enough, it will have a hard time to give the heat you need. However, if the vehicle is too large for the purpose you have in mind, you will be wasting a lot of energy in heating and hot water.
How much can I save with a new boiler?
By installing a new boiler potential savings vary on different factors
- The new boilers are extremely efficient, hence the decrease in the fuel consumption and the heating cost.
- The lower energy consumption in turn will bring you savings on your monthly heating bills.
- The initial cost of a new boiler may be high, but the long-term savings on energy bills will be greater than the initial investment.
- The increase in efficiency leads to the decrease in carbon emissions, thus, creating a more sustainable and eco-friendly home.
