What Makes an Efficient Domestic Heating System?

It is now more important than ever for homeowners to have an efficient heating system in place, but what does this mean?

Key factors such as low running costs and little energy consumption are now at the forefront of all heating decisions from underfloor heating systems to integrated renewable solutions.

The importance of good system design, installation and support should not be underestimated when choosing a heating system solution. These components provide both the installer and homeowner with peace of mind that the system will perform as expected.

Here are some things to deliberate to ensure you have an effective, efficient domestic heating system that’s right for you.

ErP and Energy Labelling:

Last year saw the introduction of the Energy Related Products Directive, known as ErP, meaning that all new heating systems will now come with a product and package label to give a clear rating of their energy efficiency. The labels are easy to understand and colour coded and your heating engineer should happily talk you through what the labelling means. Its purpose is to make the efficiency of heating products easier to compare, helping homeowners and installers to make informed and eco-friendly decisions.

Even with as a domestic underfloor heating project, the energy label will be calculated and provided by your heating engineer. This is because they’ll have all of the relevant information on the heat source, thermostats and any other components.

Good System Design:

For every system the bespoke design should be based on heat loss calculations for each individual room in your home. For example, one room could have three external walls, meaning a higher heat loss than another with just one external wall. Early recommendations by your heating engineer may be made to improve the system’s efficiency so you can be confident that the final design will result in a system that will perform. A good design and supply company should always propose an efficient and bespoke system that is well suited to your property and lifestyle.

Flexible heating controls:

Controlling a heating system remotely via smartphone is now an option offering great flexibility as well as reduced running costs. Remote access to heating controls ensures that rooms are heated only when needed, saving you money and energy consumption. Particularly with underfloor heating systems, thermostats can be installed in each room, meaning individual room temperatures can be independently controlled from one single Smart Control. The flexibility to control individual room temperatures separately enables every homeowner to enjoy perfect comfort with improved system controllability.

Underfloor heating:

Underfloor heating is an effective solution for providing sufficient warmth as the emitting area is so large, it can heat the room efficiently. When paired with a modern condensing boiler, underfloor heating is approximately 25% more efficient than radiators.

The lower flow temperatures required for underfloor heating make it an ideal partner for heat pumps, which provide optimum efficiency at low temperatures, therefore reducing the cost of heating. Due to underfloor heating systems using far lower water temperatures than a radiator system, the heat source doesn’t have to work as hard to reach increased temperatures and makes the most of a boiler’s condensing mode, so it operates much more efficiently, meaning lower annual running costs. Additionally, underfloor heating systems work with gas, oil and LPG boilers as well as ground and air source heat pumps.

Our talented team of heating engineers will be happy to discuss or advise on an efficient heating systems for any upcoming projects you may have.