Save Energy Save Money with our Boiler Offer

By JR | Blog

Upgrade your boiler with our Save Energy Save Money offer

Save energy and save money this winter when you upgrade to an energy efficient boiler with us.

 

 

We’re delighted to tell you about our Winter 2022 boiler offer! Save money and save energy on your heating.

We’ll give you £300 off the cost of a new eco-friendly A-rated boiler, along with a free SMART heating control, worth £200. Simply book your installation with us by the end of March to qualify (see below for more info).

 

Why upgrade?

Is your boiler getting old? Is it not working efficiently? Or maybe it’s costing you lots to maintain and repair.

If any of these things are true for you, it’s definitely time for an upgrade! In any case, boilers over ten years old waste a lot of valuable energy.

New A-rated condensing boilers are far more energy efficient. Did you know, they improve efficiency to over 90%, compared to an average of 60% for older boilers?

This means that 90%+ of the energy goes to heating your home (with the rest used to operate the boiler). Older boilers use around 40% of energy just to operate!

A-rated boilers are also kinder to the environment and can help to reduce your energy bills by around 15%-30% too.

 

Minimise energy price increases

With the energy price cap rising in April by around 51%, fuel bills are likely to soar for many households.

So, upgrading to an A-rated energy efficient boiler can help save money on your energy bills and minimise the impact of the price cap increase.

 

Free SMART control for your heating

As part of the Save Energy Save Money offer, we’ll give you a free Drayton Wiser smart control for your boiler (alongside your installation), worth approximately £200.

A smart control allows you to control your heating remotely from your phone or other device. That means you can turn your heating on when you leave work, for example, and it’s all toasty by the time you get home! Ideal if you don’t go out or come home at the same time every day.

With a smart control, you can usually just heat the rooms you’re using too. So, you don’t need to waste energy in the rooms you’re not in.

 

Be ready for future boiler changes

You may have heard that you won’t be able to install a gas boiler after 2025. This is only true for new build homes. If you have a gas boiler in an existing property, you will still be able to replace it after 2025. For a time, at least.

We’re likely to see more sustainable heating options become available, like ground source heat pumps and hydrogen boilers. Hydrogen is a carbon-free alternative to natural gas, so that’s the most likely solution to replace the majority of existing gas boilers.

At the moment, gas boiler manufacturers are working on greener alternatives. And boilers that will take a blend of hydrogen and natural gas are already available. This includes manufacturers like Worcester Bosch, for whom we’re a registered installer.

 

So, to summarise, our Save Energy Save Money boiler offer gives you:

✅ £300 off the cost of a new A-rated boiler
✅ A smart control worth £200 to control your heating

So you can:

💷 Save money on your heating bills
🌍 Be kinder to the environment
♨ Only heat the rooms you’re using
📱 Turn your heating on remotely only when you need it
♻ Be ready for when hydrogen gas is likely to be introduced

How to keep warm without turning up your heating

By JR | Blog

Are you worried it will cost you more to keep warm in electricity and heating, while you work from home again? But it doesn’t have to be this way – read on for our tips.

We have previously covered how to maximise your heating while at home, so here are our tips on other things you can do to keep warm at your desk, without tinkering with your boiler.

 

1. Keep warm with hot drinks

Put the kettle on and warm up with a hot drink. But don’t drink too much tea and coffee or else the caffeine might affect you! Try other hot drinks like herbal tea, hot chocolate or hot water with lemon. Or if you prefer savoury, try hot bouillon, hot Marmite / Bovril or soup. Plus, a hot mug will help keep your hands toasty!

 

2. Eat hot meals

Stews, soups, broths and other winter warmers are ideal for warming you up inside. They’ll also keep you going by sustaining your energy.

 

3. Grab a hot water bottle

A hot water bottle can really help your body temperature, especially if you’re stuck at your desk most of the day.

 

4. Keep your feet and head warm

Wear thick socks and insulated slippers to keep your feet warm. If your head gets cold or you’re a bit thin on top, wear a hat. Consider scarves and fingerless gloves too, if you need them.

Heat escapes easily from these extremities, so keeping them warm will keep your overall temperature up.

 

5. Layer up to keep warm

As with warming your extremities, keep the rest of your body toasty with extra layers. Think thermal vests, long-sleeved tops, jumpers and fleeces. By layering, if you do get warm, you can peel back one or two to regulate your temperature.

 

6. Go upstairs

Hot air rises, so if you have an upstairs, try to spend more time there. If you can, have your office upstairs. Or even move your TV to an upstairs room to be cosier and more comfortable in the winter evenings.

 

7. Keep moving

Get active to generate more body heat. Exercise is also good for you! Try to move every hour to move warm blood effectively around your body. This is especially helpful if you’re stuck at your desk, so you don’t get stiff or suffer from bad posture.

But you don’t have to do a full-on workout to keep warm. Just moving around for a few minutes will loosen up your muscles and warm you up. You could do some housework too – pushing the vacuum round is an excellent way to warm up!

If you’ve enjoyed our tips, why not sign up to our newsletter to receive more each month? And if you need help with your heating or to arrange a boiler service, contact us on info@stevensonheating.co.uk or request a callback.

Working from home heating tips

By JR | Blog

With the winter months ahead, rising energy costs and many of us starting to work from home again, you might be worried your heating bills will go up. But there are ways to maximise your heating, keep warm and keep energy costs down. Read on for our top tips.

 

1. Keep your heating at a steady temperature

Adjust your thermostat down by one or two degrees to keep the temperature regulated. This is more efficient for keeping you warm and could reduced your energy bills by around £80 a year.

If you are out at any point, use the thermostat and timer to heat your home when it’s needed. Don’t keep it constantly very low, as this is not actually very efficient.

 

2. Add thermostats to every radiator

With a thermostatic radiator valve on each radiator, you can personalise the temperature in every room. Keep the thermostats turned up in rooms you use more frequently but turn them down in rooms you don’t.

The thermostats adjust the flow of water to your radiators, according to the temperature in the room. So, they ensure you’re not using more water or heat than needed.

 

3. Close internal doors

Keep heat in the rooms you want to stay warm by shutting the door. Similarly, close doors in rooms you don’t want to heat, to stop cooler air mixing and cooling the overall temperature down.

 

4. Use curtains and blinds

If you have curtains or blinds, use them. Curtains are especially helpful for keeping the heat in (or out in the summer!). As it’s getting darker much earlier, draw the curtains as soon as light starts to fade, to keep the room warm and prevent drafts.

 

5. Bleed your radiators

If you bleed your radiators regularly, it will help prevent cold spots developing. Your boiler will need to work harder if trapped air or sludge gets in the radiators, producing the cold spots. This makes your energy bills more expensive as well as not heating your room!

Regular radiator bleeding helps to keep your heating system clear, preventing damage as well as reducing your energy bills.

 

6. Keep vents and radiators clear

Don’t block your radiators or heating vents with furniture or laundry. The heat will go to them instead of your room! Move furniture away from radiators to allow the warm air to circulate and dry your wet laundry elsewhere.

If you don’t have a tumble dryer, a heated airer is efficient and inexpensive to run. This also prevents damp and mould building up, which can cause you other problems in your home.

 

7. Claim working-from-home tax relief

If you’re having to work from home because of Covid-19 or other reasons, you may be able to get £6 a week tax relief, which can help towards your energy bills. See the Government’s website for info on eligibility and how to claim.

 

8. Keep your boiler maintained

Of course, keeping your boiler in tip-top condition is the best way to make sure you have energy efficient heating for your home when you need it. Be sure to contact us to get your annual heating service booked in.

Why not consider one of our heating service plans? Our service plans will help you maintain your heating system and spread the cost of your annual service and any repairs.

We offer three levels of cover to suit your needs:

Basic Plan – ideal if your boiler is still under warranty

Standard Plan – covers for your annual service and labour costs

Advanced Plan – includes your annual service, labour and parts.

We can also assist you in specific add-ons for your household electrics and gas fires, as well as landlord options.

See our Service Plans page to find out more.

At Stevenson Heating, we are Gas Safe Registered heating installers. Contact us on info@stevensonheating.co.uk or request a callback to find out more or get a quote for improving your heating in your home.

Protect Your Pipes This Winter

By JR | Blog

Winter is finally revving up! Now we have some chillier temperatures and the potential for snow, it makes sense to safeguard your home against common cold-weather plumbing problems. Here are our top tips on preventing or dealing with frozen or burst pipes.

 

Prevention Is Better Than Cure

Preventing the problem of frozen or burst pipes is much easier and cheaper than fixing it once it happens. Follow these tips for a stress-free winter season:

Have the boiler and central heating system serviced at least once a year by a qualified and registered Gas Safe engineer, such as our engineers. 

Know how to turn your water supply off. The stopcock is usually located under the kitchen sink, but it is sometimes elsewhere, such as in the hallway.

Check all the water taps in your home and fix any that are dripping. This has the added bonus of also saving you money!

Drain and turn off any external taps.

Keep your home warm – read our advice on this.

 

What To Do If Your Pipes Freeze

If you think a pipe has frozen:

Turn off your water supply. Locate your stopcock and turn it clockwise to turn off the water.

Turn all the cold taps in the house ON. This will allow the water to escape when it starts to thaw.

Warm the frozen pipe. Starting at the end nearest the tap, use a hot water bottle wrapped in a tea towel, pushed against the pipe to thaw it. Alternatively, use a hairdryer on the low setting, but always ensure you keep the hairdryer a safe distance from the defrosting pipe.

Once the frozen pipe has thawed out, check there are no leaks. Do this by taking some dry kitchen paper towel and wiping it along the pipe. If there are no wet patches on the kitchen paper, you can turn the water supply back on.

If you suspect a leak, do not turn your water back on. Call out a certified plumbing specialist such as ourselves.

 

If Your Boiler Stops Working

When temperatures drop to freezing and remain there for a day or two, some boilers may suffer from a frozen condense pipe. This generally only happens to boilers less than 15 years old but not the most recent modern types.

If your boiler stops working or tries to start and locks out, and your condense pipe (the white plastic pipe that connects the boiler to a drain) is 22mm in diameter and outside, the condense pipe may be frozen.

To thaw it out, pour warm water (NOT boiling water) on the frozen pipe, use a hot water bottle or buy a heat wrap (that you might use to treat a muscle injury) to thaw the pipe out.

Once your boiler is working again, contact your installer to check everything is working properly and for advice on preventing the problem in future.

You can read more about condense pipes and how to treat them in our condense pipes blog.

Contact our team on 020 8462 8822 for specific advice on your boiler, to arrange a boiler service or for any heating or plumbing problems.

Condense Pipe Frozen? Here’s What To Do

By JR | Blog

Identify A Frozen Condense Pipe

If temperatures drop to freezing and remain there for a day or two, some boilers may suffer from a frozen condense pipe. This is likely to be the case if your boiler has stopped working and:

The outside temperature is below freezing and has been for 24 hours or more.

The condense pipe from your boiler (the white plastic pipe that connects the boiler to a drain or soak-away) is outside.

The external condense pipe is 22mm in diameter (though it can also happen with bigger pipes in very cold weather).

The boiler tries to start but quickly stops or locks-out.

 

How To Thaw The Pipe

Use one of these methods to safely thaw your condense pipe:

Pour warm water on the frozen condense pipe. However, do not attempt this if the condense pipe is located above ground level, and do not use boiling water, only warm water.

Put a hot water bottle onto the affected pipe.

Get a heat wrap and wrap it around the condense pipe. These are usually used to treat muscle injuries and you can buy one from your local pharmacy.

Once your boiler is running again, contact your installer to check it is all working correctly. They can also advise you on insulating the pipe to prevent this problem occurring again.

The following video explains in more detail:

 

Does My Boiler Have A Condense Pipe?

Boilers older than 15 years usually do not have a condense drain pipe.

A recent, modern boiler will either not have an external condense pipe or the external pipe will be 25mm (1 inch) or more in diameter, meaning it’s less likely to freeze.

If you’re not sure, contact us and we can advise you.

 

A Solution For Preventing Frozen Condense Pipes

Boiler manufacturer Worcester Bosch has launched its CondenseSure product, which protects your external condense pipe and prevents it from freezing. We can fit one of these for you. Give us a call to arrange it.

If you would like help to ensure your heating system is working properly or to fix your frozen condense pipe, our team of heating and plumbing engineers are available to help. Call us 020 8462 8822 or request a callback to arrange a visit.

Our Tips to Keep Your Home Warm this Winter

By JR | Blog

As temperatures start to creep downwards, many people will reach for the thermostat this Christmas in a bid to stay warm and ward off the risk of frozen pipes. But there are plenty of other ways to ensure your home stays snug and safe over the festive period. Here we share our top tips to help you stay warm, prevent plumbing problems and save on your heating bills this winter.

 

Keep it Closed

Drawing your curtains in the evenings is one of the easiest ways to keep the warm air in and the cold air out. Check there are no gaps in the curtains to ensure they are as effective as possible. Keeping internal doors closed and windows shut will also help to keep the heat in each room.

 

Clear the Radiators

Blocking the radiators with furniture and laundry means the heat goes into drying your clothes or the back of the sofa instead of warming your home. Make sure all radiators are free from items that could absorb heat that is meant for you. Also check that your radiators are heating to the top. If not, grab a radiator key and bleed each radiator to release air that has built up inside.

 

Insulate, Insulate

If you insulate your home correctly, rooms will warm up more quickly and stay warmer for longer.  Everybody stays warm and you save on the heating bills. Insulating your loft is the number one place to start, as you lose around 25% of heat through your roof. If you have a hot water tank, insulating it will keep the water warm for longer.

 

Timing’s Everything

Using timers and thermostats mean that you only heat the home when you need to. Many people believe that leaving the heating on a constant low temperature is more energy efficient. This is not so, as it means your house is being heated when no-one’s home and is not warm enough when they are.

 

Protect your Pipes

Keeping your home warm is the best way to prevent frozen and burst pipes. Fix dripping taps as they can be first to freeze when the temperature falls. And, just in case the worst does happen, make sure you know where to turn off the water supply. The internal stopcock is usually located under the kitchen sink, but is sometimes found elsewhere, such as in the hallway.

 

Going Away

Going away for a few days can mean your home is at much greater risk of frozen or burst pipes if the temperature dips. Follow our tip above to ensure your pipes are protected. While you’re away, you can leave the heating on a low setting or set the timer. If you’re away for a longer period, it may be a good idea to shut off and drain the water system. Your pipes can’t freeze if there’s no water in them!

 

Think Safety

Have the boiler and central heating system serviced at least once a year by a qualified and registered Gas Safe engineer, such as our engineers. Look out for black marks or stains on or around your appliances. This can be a sign something isn’t working properly. Always investigate if you spot a yellow flame in your boiler instead of the usual blue one. Fitting an audible carbon monoxide alarm will give you extra reassurance that everyone is sleeping safe and soundly at night.

If you would like help to ensure your heating system is working properly, our team of heating and plumbing engineers are available throughout the Christmas period. Call 020 8462 8822 to arrange a call out.