Incorporating smart technology into homes has become a popular trend, with the demand expected to continue growing. There are currently 15 million smart homes in the UK, which entails connecting gadgets such as lights, speakers, and TVs, through a network. You can control these devices remotely on your phone with wi-fi or Bluetooth.

A fundamental aspect of automated homes is smart boilers, which are regular boilers connected to intelligent heating controls, including thermostats, radiator valves, and meters. But how will smart boilers benefit your home, and is it a worthy investment?

1) Convenience

Smart heating devices allow you to manage your combi-boiler remotely. So, if you’re working overtime, delay the heating through your phone while at the office to avoid wasting energy. Even if you’re just in bed, you can increase the temperature without having to get up.

If your routine is flexible, digital thermostats can automatically customise the settings when you are and aren’t home with GPS features or motion sensors. Some of these devices respond to weather changes as well, by automatically adjusting the temperature or time, so you don’t have to alter your settings each season.

On top of this, getting smart meters fitted saves you the trouble of taking meter readings, as your energy usage is automatically sent straight to the supplier.

2) Help the environment

Certain smart thermostats send you energy reports of your usage, along with tips on how to lower your consumption. You may notice you’re wasting energy by setting the boiler temperature too high or turning the central heating on when you aren’t in. Some digital thermostats also notify you if you’ve accidentally left the heating on while you’re out.

With smart radiator valves, you can set individual temperatures for each room and make sure you only heat rooms when they’re in use.

3) Save money

Understanding your central heating habits will encourage you to use your energy more efficiently. According to the Energy Saving Trust, smart heating controls can reduce your energy costs by £75 each year.

Smart meter displays can show how much you’ve spent on energy per day, week, or month, and what each appliance is costing you in pounds and pence.

4) Avoid frozen pipes

When you’re away from home, you might turn off the central heating to save money, but this can cause the pipes to freeze if the weather gets too cold. Most digital thermostats have a ‘safety’ or ‘holiday’ feature that automatically turns on the boiler if there’s a sudden temperature drop, so you don’t have to worry about coming home to burst pipes.

5) Connect to other smart devices

Digital heating devices can often connect to hubs such as an Alexa so that you can manage all gadgets from one platform. You will also be able to control your central heating with voice command.

Before upgrading to smart heating devices ensure they’re compatible with your existing boiler. If the appliance needs replacing, use the BOXT ‘find a boiler’ tool to check which product is most suitable.

Installing smart heating devices provides you with more control over your energy usage to help reduce your bills, lower your carbon footprint, and enhance ease.