What does an A-rated boiler mean in theory?
An A-rated boiler is a model that is among the most efficient on the market. Efficiency is calculated by working out how much of the fuel used to power the boiler is turned into usable energy for heating your radiators and hot water.
But what does that actually mean in practice?
Despite the rating on the box, most A-rated boilers only actually perform at C to E rated within the home.
Why?
Well, modern condensing boilers are much more complicated than non-condensing boilers.
They need to be finely tuned to the individual heating system in order for them to run at the highest efficiency. Matching the boiler to the system is a complicated task, involving setting the correct flow rates and DT cross the emitters (radiators).
To achieve this you need a good boiler to start with. Unfortunately many A-rated boilers available in the UK market do not have the ability to fine-tune them to the system. Furthermore, lots of boilers are installed with the incorrect controls as many heating engineers don’t have the knowledge to make them work efficiently.
Smart thermostats are also frequently installed incorrectly and do not necessarily make your system more efficient.
2.Gas Safe Registration only means knowledge about safety, NOT efficiency
Gas Safe engineers are simply trained to install gas pipes and flues safely. Of course, that’s vital. But although everybody on the gas safe register can do this job safely, very few are trained to work on efficiency.
There is no legislation to ensure that installers get adequate training on heating systems and how to get the most efficiency out of a boiler. This means that there are huge skill gaps within the industry.
To get the best efficiency out of your boiler you need to look at the whole system. It needs to be cleaned and balanced properly.
99% of installers cannot set up a gas boiler to run at the best efficiency. But all our engineers at Chelmsford Gas Services are different. We’ve done all of the training and are the only Heat Geek certified installers in a wide area, to make sure that we are within the top 1% of installers that can get the job done properly and get the best out of an A-rated appliance.
3. An inefficient boiler can use up to 15% more in energy
With winter fuel bills predicted to be around £500 per month for an average family – that 15% amounts to a lot of money!
That’s why it’s vital to not just have an A-rated boiler, but also to make sure it is installed absolutely correctly to justify the cost of the appliance. And then to have it maintained and serviced properly and regularly to keep it running at that level.
That’s where we come in. Chelmsford Gas Services are not just Gas Safe Registered. We really know our stuff. We’ve been doing this a LONG time, all our heating engineers are fully trained and knowledgeable in energy efficiency too.