The new ‘Boiler Plus’ legislation came into force earlier this month, and it’s designed to encourage energy efficiency whilst reducing heating costs and increasing the warmth and comfort of homes.
‘Boiler Plus’ is expected to save households who upgrade their inefficient boiler as much as £270 a year¹ on their energy bills, making it more affordable to stay cosy and comfortable at home. It will also give people a better understanding and more choice over the way they heat their homes, leading to more control over their energy bills.
Over the last few years, home technology has become much more interconnected and ‘smart’ – and that includes the latest home energy, hot water and heating systems. ‘Boiler Plus’ takes advantage of this advancing technology to raise the standards for all new boiler installations, making unnecessarily high running costs and low efficiency a thing of the past.
For example, from now on, all new combi boilers installations will have to include at least one of the following efficiency measures:
· Flue gas heat recovery systems
· Weather Compensation
· Load Compensation
· Smart controls featuring automation and optimisation functions
The cost of heating a home, particularly during cold winter months makes up around 60% of household energy bills2. Additions such as smart controls can help households keep heating costs down while still keeping their homes warm, as people can start making smarter heating choices based around their needs.
Above all, ‘Boiler Plus’ will put energy efficiency first. The minimum performance for a new domestic gas boiler is now set at 92% for Energy related Products (ErP). This will help phase out poorly performing appliances, significantly reducing carbon emissions while also keeping down heating bills.
“Many households are concerned about bills, but don’t necessarily have the knowledge or the products to help them use their heating systems more efficiently. A recent study by USwitch found that around half of respondents went without heating this winter to keep costs down, and it was revealed that sales of hot water bottles have soared by 80% this year, as people struggle to keep warm in their homes. One of the ways in which homes can save money on their heating is through the use of efficient domestic heating technology, such as those listed in Boiler Plus.”
Stewart Clements – Director, the Heating and Hot water Industry Council (HHIC)
The ‘Boiler Plus’ legislation means that all manufacturers and installers are now required by law to deliver mandatory performance standards for heating systems.
So, it’s reassuring to know that at InstaGroup we are already complying with ‘Boiler Plus’ policies, and have been for some time.
Our heating engineer expert John explains, “It’s pretty much business as usual for us – the Worcester Combi Boilers and the Comfort 1 & 2 programmer and thermostats that we install already meet the mandatory requirements. Other add-ons such as the smart controls, weather compensators or flue gas heat recovery units are optional extras that are also available to our customers.”
He continues, “Regulating systems for maximum efficiency using time and temperature controls for both heating and hot water has always been a ‘must’ to meet current Building Regulations, so it’s nothing new for us.”
“With regard to the ErP boiler efficiency requirements, all the Gas and Oil boilers we install meet these requirements.”
The new legislation’s drive for increasing home energy efficiency includes giving the customer a complete run-down of the operation and system control when a new boiler is commissioned. Increasing the customer’s understanding of the latest boiler functions is a key part of ‘Boiler Plus’, and our installers already fully comply.
If you have any questions about the new ‘Boiler Plus’ legislation, ask your Gas Safe or Oftec registered engineer before installation. They can talk you through all the potential options, and find a solution which best suits your home and your lifestyle.
It’s worth pointing out that installers who fail to comply with the new ‘Boiler Plus’ legislation will be breaching Building Regulations, and are therefore breaking the law and could face prosecution. Furthermore, if an installer were to invoice a customer for non-compliant work, this may be considered fraudulent and open to action from Trading Standards.
Householders will have to comply with the legislation too, and having non-compliant work carried out may result in prosecution and penalties of up to £5,000.
‘Boiler Plus’ sends a positive message to households across England that our industry is working to deliver leading boiler technology that can save money, keep homes warmer and reduce carbon emissions for the good of the environment.
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