How Do Smart Heating Controls Save You Money?

One of the most common concerns caused by the cost of living crisis is rising energy bills and how people can balance the basic need of a warm and comfortable home against other costs such as mortgages, food and motoring. Fundamentally, if we are staying at home rather than going out, to save money, heating the home becomes a primary need and one of our most important priorities. People have become far more savvy about choosing energy tariffs and switching providers, but also how they use energy around the home, and smart heating controls are a great example of how people can save money and reduce their carbon footprint, while also enjoying additional functionality to enhance their lifestyle. 

What are smart heating controls? 

Whilst the most popular form of smart heating control is a smart thermostat, you can also use smart radiator valves for even more control over your home heating. Smart heating controls are devices which connect to your home WiFi and are controlled through a smartphone or tablet app. Using this app you can connect to your home heating system and enjoy various functions to better manage your heating and benefit from additional features.  

Systems will vary, but common functions include: 

• Using sensors and your phone’s location to detect when you are out of the house, and then adjusting the heating settings to an ‘Eco’ setting, i.e. not heating a home as normal when there is no one in it, even if you have programmed it to.  
• Remote access so you can monitor the current temperature in your home and set the heating to come on if you are due to arrive home in 15-20 minutes.  
• Offering an easy set-up system to schedule your heating, i.e. when it goes on and off and what temperature you want in each room. If you don’t want to set-up your own schedule most systems can automatically learn your preferences to create a schedule for you. So rather than setting the heating controls for one temperature all the time, the system will adjust itself throughout the day to mimic your needs. 
• Suggesting further savings where they can be made, such as reducing the temperature while you are asleep, or suggesting seasonal changes to reflect the different temperature needs.  

What are the benefits of smart heating controls? 

Enjoyed your winter holiday but not excited by the thought of coming home to a freezing cold house? It takes the shine off a great break, but with smart heating controls the home can be toasty warm when you return over the threshold, and you know you have still saved money in the meantime. Smart heating controls are estimated to save between 10-12% in home heating costs, purely through managing the system to more closely match your needs and routines. Most people are able to set their heating to come on and off at certain times, but how often do we adjust this if we decide to go out at short notice and the heating’s about to come on? With smart heating controls you can reduce the temperature of your heating when you sit down at the restaurant you’ve just driven to.  

This additional functionality can save us several hours of unnecessary heating and energy costs per week, but still gives us the ability to return home to that warm and comfortable feeling as we walk through the front door. Of course when you are at home, smart heating controls can be linked to smart speakers, such as the Alexa or Google Home, to control using voice activation, and can also be linked to other smart devices such as lights, music systems, the doorbell or security alarm.   

Free smart heating controls with a new boiler installation 

At Emergency Cover we believe smart heating controls are a great way to enhance your lifestyle and save you money, which is why we have incorporated them into our new boiler installations. Our new boiler upgrades ensure you are benefitting from the most efficient types of boiler, whether you are using a traditional gas boiler or a renewable energy boiler, such as a heat pump. With an active emergency boiler cover plan you can enjoy a new boiler installation and benefit from: 

• The best available new boiler technology 
• Expert service, maintenance and emergency cover 
• Ten years free servicing 
• A free Vaillant Advance Filter 
• A free Google Nest Thermostat (smart heating controls)  

The process of applying for a new boiler installation couldn’t be easier. There is a 30-second online quotation process which asks about your existing heating system and matches you with alternative options to match your criteria and budget. You can select the boiler you need, including extras such as smart heating controls, and then await a new boiler installation, which could be in a matter of days.  

Old boilers are expensive to run and maintain, but a new boiler will allow you to enjoy more efficient home heating, a lower carbon impact, better technology and more control. With smart heating controls you are in charge and on your way to lower energy bills, so contact Emergency Cover for a new boiler installation today.