Heating Controls

Reduce your energy use by up to 20% when you install heating controls for your home heating system.

About heating controls

Heating controls work by matching your heating and hot water schedules to the way you use your home. They are a smarter, more flexible way to heat your home and hot water. When you need heat and hot water it is there, but it's turned off when you don't need it.

Your heating system should be split into at least two independently controlled zones. They are your Space Heating Zone and Domestic Hot Water Zone. In large homes, you can add extra zones to split upstairs and downstairs or living areas and bedrooms.

Benefits of heating controls

Lower heating bills

By having more control over the heat and hot water in your home, you can reduce your bills by up to 20%.

Increased home comfort

With the control to set different temperatures per zone/room, you have a more comfortable living environment.

Greater flexibility

Separate zones for your heat and hot water means you can turn each on only need it. So when you just want hot water in the summer, you can use your boiler instead of the immersion.

Reduced energy use

With more control, you can avoid having your heating and hot water on when you don't need it. Lowering your energy consumption helps the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions

Would your heating system benefit from heating controls?

If you answer NO to any of these questions, you could benefit from heating controls.

Can you heat your hot water without switching on your radiators or an electric immersion heater?
Can you turn on your heating without heating your hot water?
Can you easily adjust the temperature in the rooms you use most often?
Do you have temperature control on your boiler?
Do you have a time control on your boiler that you can set for different days of the week?
Do you have a separate temperature control for your hot water cylinder?
Do you have a separate time control on your hot water cylinder?

Key heating control components

Discuss these with your contractor to understand how they help to control your daily heating needs.

Thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs)

A TRV is a thermostat that regulates the amount of heat going into a radiator based on the temperature of the room. You can set a specific temperature level for a room that you are comfortable with. As the room heats up, the heat flow into the radiator reduces. It then stops when it reaches your comfortable set level.

7 day programmable timer

Set your heating system to match your occupancy patterns on a daily and weekly basis. The separation of space heating and hot water controls into zones means you can set each zone to turn on only at specific times. For example, set your boiler to switch on before you wake in the morning and heat water for showers without turning on the central heating.

Boiler interlock

Boiler interlock connects your heating system controls with your boiler, so the boiler only operates when needed.

Time and temperature controls for electric immersion heater (hot water cylinder heater)

Time and temperature controls installed on immersion heaters allow you to pre-set:

The time period when you'll need hot water
The temperature you want the water

Water then isn't heated for longer or to higher temperatures than needed. We recommend also fitting lagging jackets to old, uninsulated copper hot water cylinders. This helps them lose as little energy as possible.