Summer is the time when those utility bills finally take a fall as we use less gas and electricity to heat our homes. People often have the urge to turn off their boiler entirely during the summer because it isn’t used. But there is a case for some boilers being left on – a lot depends on the type of boiler that you have. Here’s our look at how different boilers perform during the summer months and how to decide what’s the best choice.
Boiler tips
The key factor when you’re deciding whether to turn your boiler on or off revolves around what type of boiler it is. The fact is that the most energy efficient boiler in winter will also be the most energy efficient boiler in summer – that rating doesn’t change with the seasons. But there are some things to be aware of depending on the system in your home.
- Older boilers with a pilot light
If you have an older boiler that has a pilot light, you may want to turn off the boiler during the summer. That’s because the pilot light is using gas even if the boiler isn’t supplying any heating. Newer boilers also have pilot lights, but these have a ‘standby’ mode where they use very little power to remain on, so you don’t need to worry so much with these.
- Polystyrene coating
Some boilers have a polystyrene coating to the water tank. A little research on the internet will tell you if yours has this. If it does, you don’t need to worry about turning off the boiler, regardless of what type as this stuff acts as insulation. If it doesn’t, you may want to consider it.
- Boiler with seasonal modes
Some combi boilers do have a summer and winter mode, so you can simply flip a switch to tell the boiler that it is summer time.
- Thermostat controlled boilers
If you have any type of thermostat on your system, then this should control everything for you. If you set it to a particular temperature, then the system will only start to work if the house temperature falls below this.
What do you need a boiler for
The other point to consider when deciding if to turn off your boiler or not is to think about what it does. For example, if you have a combi boiler that is required to supply hot water as well as heat, then you don’t want to turn it.
If you have a separate boiler and hot water tank, then you may be able to turn off the boiler and just use the hot water tank during the summer. And if you have a heat only boiler then again, you might be able to turn it off.
If you need more help with deciding what to do with your boiler this summer, contact DHS. We can visit the property and assess the type of boiler you have then give you advice on the most cost-effective way to run it in warmer months.
DHS is a certified Bristol boiler company offering services across the South West. If you’re looking to get a boiler installed or think your boiler might be wasting energy, give us a call today on 0117 924 7200, email us or request a call back.
Unit 2 Septimus Buildings 
