How to get the most from your Gas or Oil Central Heating

Using your central heating system efficiently means getting the best out of the system for the least cost. To do this you need to know how to work the heating controls. Your heating system will have some or all of the following controls:

1. Boiler thermostat

You can find this on the boiler itself.

It controls the temperature of the hot water flowing around the pipes to the radiators.

Correct setting:
HIGH in the winter.
LOW in the summer.

2. Room thermostat

This will be in the hall way or living room.

It controls the temperature of the whole home, based on the room it is in.

Correct setting:
21ºC for pensioners and families with young children.
18-21ºC for everyone else.

Note - turning up the room thermostat will not heat up the room faster but it will make the room warmer.

3. Cylinder thermostat

This will be on the hot water tank.

It controls the temperature of the hot water coming out of the taps.

Correct setting:
60ºC or 140ºF.

4. Radiator thermostat

You can find this on each radiator.

It allows you to have different temperatures in each room.

Correct setting:
Start off at a middle setting and turn it down a notch if too warm and up a notch if too cool.
If the radiators go cool, and the room is warm, this is normal and means the thermostat is doing its job.

5. Programmer

This can control the time you want the heating and hot water to switch on and off. Make sure it is set to suit your lifestyle rather than ruling your life!

Set it to come on half an hour before you get up or come in, and switch off half an hour before you go out or go to bed. You can also set it to come on and go off twice a day.

Frequently asked questions

Is it best to have my central heating on low all over the home or high in the rooms I am using?
It is best to have the heating on low all over the house AND high in the rooms you are using. But you will need to read your meters regularly so you know how much fuel you are using each week. Then you can easily change how much you use.
What does the OVERRIDE / ADVANCE button do on my programmer?
If you come in during the day feeling chilly, pressing the override button will bring the heating on and it will go off at its normal time set in the evening. If the heating is on, pressing the override will switch it off and it will come back on at the next time set. The same applies for hot water.
What does the 'ONCE' button do on my programmer?
Your heating/hot water will come on for one period in the day - coming on at the first time set and switching off at the last time set.
Why does the boiler keep firing on and off?
The boiler will only fire up when your heating and/or hot water is on. The 'flaring up' will stop when your home is warm enough. The boiler will then 'die down' to the pilot light. When the temperature drops, the boiler will 'fire up' again, re-heating the water to pump round the radiators.
Is it cheaper to have the boiler thermostat on low during the winter?
No - this is the one control where having the setting on low in the winter will actually cost you money! This is because the boiler thermostat controls the temperature of the water that goes around the pipes to the radiators. If the water temperature is higher, your home will reach a comfortable temperature more quickly so the boiler will fire up less often.
Why is the radiator cold at the top?
Sometimes air gets trapped inside the radiator. The top of the radiator will feel cold to touch and the bottom of the radiator / pipes will be warm.
To fix this, you can 'bleed' the radiator by opening the valve at the top corner of the radiator very slowly with a radiator key until all the air has escaped. When you do this, make sure the heating has been switched off for a while to avoid any possibility of scalding.
Why is the radiator with the thermostat on it cold when my heating is on?
The thermostat has shut off the water to the radiator as it has sensed the room is warm enough.
Is it cheaper to heat my water by my electric immersion heater in the summer?
It is cheaper to heat water by gas or oil in the summer.
Is it cheaper to have the hot water on all the time?
It is almost always cheaper to have your hot water on only when you need it. It usually takes about 30-45 minutes to heat a tank of hot water.