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Using the boiler controls effectively is key to an efficiently working boiler. Learn more about them here.
Smart usage of these boiler controls can help you conserve energy and bring down that power bill. Your house will be comfortable in the right temperature and you can also avoid overheating your boiler.
Boiler Controls
- Built In Boiler Controls – these controls are useful if your boiler can be easily accessed, but not if your boiler is located in a garage or loft.
- On / Off Switch – Turning the switch on puts your boiler on standby until it is needed to make heat. Standby mode uses very minimal amount of electricity. Some switches feature selecting if you want to turn on both heating and hot water, or just one of the two.
- Temperature Controls – Some boiler models feature separate controls for the temperature of heat and hot water.
- Mechanical Boiler Timers – This timer can give you three options when you run your heating system: 1) the boiler is off, 2) the boiler is providing heat, and 3) the boiler turns on and off at set times. It has a large round dial that you can turn to set the correct time. The outer part of the dial has tabs that represent 15- minute periods that are selected when you want the boiler to turn on. A mechanical timer is simple to use, but it will set your boiler to turn on or off at the same time everyday. This might not work well if you have different daily schedules.
- Central Heating Controls – these controls are located away from your boiler and allow you to control it in your home. Older models use wires to connect to your boiler while newer models send signals remotely to your boiler.
- Room Thermostat – This turns the heating system on and off as needed. It senses the temperature in the room, and then switches the heating when the room temperature falls below the temperature set in the thermostat. It then switches off the heating when the right temperature is reached. There is usually one room thermostat for every heating system. This controls the temperature in the whole house based on the temperature of the room it is placed.
- Programmable Room Thermostat – This thermostat allows you to set the times that you want to turn the heating system on, as well as the temperature you want it to be. You can set the thermostat to suit your daily or weekly schedule.
- Thermostatic Radiator Control Valves – TRVs can detect the air temperature and regulate the hot water going through the radiator. They do not control the boiler. TRVs allows you to set different temperatures that you want for each room in the house.
- Hot Water Controls
- Cylinder Thermostat – This switches the heat supply on and off from the boiler to the hot water cylinder. It senses the water temperature inside the cylinder and switches on the water heating when the temperature falls behind what is set in the thermostat setting. It then switches it off once that temperature is reached. It is placed on the outside of the hot water cylinder and should be set between 60°C and 65°C. This is the right heat to kill harmful bacteria in the water but is not too hot to scald you. Your boiler control thermostat must be set to a higher temperature so that the water produced is hot enough to heat the water in the cylinder.
Learn more about boiler controls or have a qualified engineer come over if your need boiler repair.
