Smart Heating Controls – The New Technology
Smart heating controls allow you to manage your heating controls remotely from a computer, tablet or smart phone, and many companies incorporate more advanced features to control your heating in more sophisticated ways. Some can store past information and keep track of your heating levels
and make a decision for you based on your previous heating choices. Some will just use automation and optimisation features to help determine exactly when to turn on the heating for you.
The best part of having smart heating is that you can make changes from anywhere and if you change your plans for the day or have to work later than expected, you never need to worry about your heating. Some people would benefit from this especially if you are out working a lot or someone that doesn’t stay in a lot. If you are someone who rarely leaves the house or there is always someone at the property then this option may be useless to you.
There are many benefits to heating controls. Reducing your carbon dioxide emissions is a very important benefit which heating controls allow. Save money on your heating bills by installing and using your controls efficiently. Schedule your heating and hot water to go on and off when needed and eliminate heating waste. Select areas of your home to heat and set a required temperature for each room if needed, rather than heating the whole house at the same temperature, all at the same time. It’s easy to have this installed and you just need to contact your local plumbing and heating company to install it for you.
What are Room Thermostats?
These will prevent your house from getting any warmer than you feel necessary. They will allow you to turn the heating on until the room reaches the required temperature you have set, and then off until the temperature drops again. Room thermostats need a free flow of air to sense the temperature and surroundings. They must not be blocked by furniture or curtains, or put near any heat sources.
Typically between 18 and 21 degrees is the recommended room temperature. You don’t need to turn your thermostat up when the weather gets colder outside. Your house will heat up to the set temperature regardless. Sometimes it takes a little longer on colder days, so you might just want to set your heating to come on earlier in the winter time.
What is a Programmable Room Thermostat?
A programmable room thermostat combines time and temperature controls and allows you to set different temperatures for different times of the day. You can have different temperatures in individual rooms by installing thermostatic radiator valves on individual radiators.
What are Thermostatic Radiator Valves or TRVs?
Thermostatic radiator valves do not control the boiler but they reduce the flow of water through the radiator which they are fitted to when the temperature goes above a certain setting. Set them to the level you want for the room; a lower setting uses less energy and so will save you money. N.B It’s best not to use radiator covers as they will trick the radiator into thinking the room and surrounding area is hotter than it is.
All in all, smart heating is the way of the future for the tech saavy and the not so tech saavy. Life in the heating world has become a little easier for us all but unfortunately the price will undoubtedly remain on the expensive side!