The £400m Question
Businesses stand to save a collective £400m a year by taking simple actions to make their boilers run more efficiently, says the Carbon Trust.
The organisation has found that heating and hot water accounts for more than a third of businesses’ energy consumption.
In addition up to 60% of the carbon emissions from some UK industrial processes, such as food production and laundering, emanate from boilers.
However, it also says that it’s possible to cut your heating costs by up to 30% by implementing some simple boiler-related energy saving measures:
Their advice, however simple, is well heeded:
- Keep your boiler well maintained – your boiler will naturally get worn over time and this can affect its efficiency. Make sure you get your boiler serviced by a professional on a regular basis to keep wear and tear at a minimum and keep efficiency levels high.
- Keep the heat in – make sure your boiler is well insulated. Pipework, valves, flanges and fittings in the boiler house should all be adequately insulated and you should also make sure that valve mats and/or covers are replaced after maintenance work.
- Treat your water – impurities and contaminants in the water that goes into your boiler can reduce efficiency, so make sure that you have the right water treatment and conditioning regimes in place.
- Get organised – make a maintenance manual, with records of the work that needs to be done, the person responsible, and when they were completed. Formalising maintenance will help make sure that tasks aren’t forgotten and will also help you keep track of any problems.
- Think about a new boiler – it’s not a cheap purchase, but if your boiler is more than 15 years old, or if it’s not working efficiently, it may need replacing.
Logical housekeeping of an often-overlooked business facility delivering up to 30% cost savings. Very few businesses can afford to ignore that.