We provide a supply and installation service of all the top thermostats. And if you are an existing Heat:Plan service customer you can benefit from a discount on the installation of a Netatmo smart control.

We also get asked a lot of questions about smart thermostats so we thought it was worth sharing our thoughts.

What are smart thermostats?

Smart thermostats or smart heating controls have been around for over 10 years already! But the technology gets better and better each year and there are now quite a few on the market.  

They are designed to connect your heating system to the internet meaning you can control your heating with your smartphone or device from anywhere, at any time.

Is a smart thermostat the same as a smart meter?

No. We can understand why you might think this and we have had lots of people ask us the same question. But they are not the same thing.

You may have been approached by your energy company to install a smart meter.

This is part of the Government’s current commitment to offer every homeowner one free of charge in order to provide automatic and accurate bills based on your actual energy usage.

It is important to know that smart meters are not compulsory, but if you are interested in having one installed, then you can contact your energy supplier. Or find out more about them here .

 What are the main benefits of using a smart thermostat?

 We think there are three great reasons to have a smart thermostat

1. You are in complete control

You can manage the heating in your home from anywhere by turning the temperature up or down whenever you need to.

2. Save money on your energy bills

By being in control of your heating you can make sure you have no unnecessary waste and, in so doing, help to keep your energy bills as low as possible (studies show that it is estimated an average household can save up to 10% on their annual gas bill by using a smart thermostat)

3. Save time and be really smart

As the technology develops, the smart controls take over. They can learn your daily routine and even track where you are via GPS to turn the heating up or down, whatever is needed and saving you time and money along the way.

How much does it cost?

There are lots of different types of smart thermostats, each with their own benefits. We have listed the most popular ones here.

We only install smart thermostats that we supply. The cost depends on the product you select. For example, if you are already a Gregor HeatPlan customer then we offer a discounted rate on the supply and installation of Netatmo smart thermostats for just £150 (inc VAT).

If you are interested in installing a smart control and not sure where to start, we will happily talk you through which one might be the best to suit you and your home and the costs involved. Just give the team a call today.

As you can see a smart thermostat is just the first step.

Did you know that you can also look at smart devices to manage your lighting and home security link too, but that’s for another blog!

The post Why a smart thermostat could be the way forward for your home this year appeared first on Gregor Heating, Electrical & Renewable Energy.

When this happens problems can occur and it’s hard to know what to do. We hope that this provides you with a quick checklist outlining the common problems you might experience when you turn your boiler back on.

Please remember, do not attempt to fix anything without expert help. If you are in doubt, give the Gregor Heating service team a call on 0117 935 2400 to book your boiler service or repair.

Is it turned on?

If you have no heating or hot water the first and most obvious place to start is to make sure that the boiler is switched on at the mains (you’d be surprised how many times this happens to people).

If your boiler is still not responding, this can be for a number of reasons but first it’s worth trying to follow instructions for re-setting it. This usually works.

Check the fault code

 If you’ve tried resetting your boiler and it still isn’t working, it may be showing a fault code on the display. This will give a good clue as to what’s wrong with it, so refer to your manufacturers handbook or call a registered Gas Safe engineer who may be able to help.

Check the boiler pressure

A boiler won’t function if the boiler pressure is low. If your boiler pressure is low then you can take simple steps to reset it.

Checking the pressure of your boiler is easy.  Look at the built-in pressure gauge and if you find that the needle is below 1 and going into the red, then this indicates an issue with low boiler pressure, which means your central heating system won’t work.

There are a number of reasons why this may be happening – a couple of areas you could check include a water leak in the system, around the filter or radiator valves, or perhaps you have recently bled the radiators causing the pressure to drop.

You can try re-pressurising the system yourself by checking instructions via your heating systems’ manual or looking online for some help. A useful guide here.

Check the thermostat

 If the thermostat is turning the heating on or off when it’s not supposed to its worth looking at what might be causing this.

A few checks to make that can be easily overlooked include checking the batteries are working and that it is in the on position and set to the correct settings i.e. time and schedule – it’s always possible that it could have been knocked or changed if there’s been a power cut.

One other consideration to make is that your home might be warmer than you think and a thermostat won’t allow the boiler to heat your home higher than the temperature it has been set at. If its set lower than 21degrees it might not work, if this is the case then try increasing it in very small increments until you find the temperature that’s right for you.

If none of the above apply it’s possible that your thermostat may have malfunctioned or lost accuracy over time, in which case it is probably time to consider a replacement.

Check if the boiler is leaking or dripping

 If your boiler is leaking water, it could be down to a number of things. The most common cause is a broken internal component, such as a pump seal or pressure valve.

You may also find your boiler is leaking around the pipes or tank – this can be a result of corrosion or in some cases where the system has not been fitted properly.

In any case, we recommend calling out an engineer who will be able to diagnose and fix the issue for you – do not try to fix it yourself.

And remember, at any point if you smell gas don’t attempt to reignite the boiler – contact the Gas Emergency Line on 0800 111 999.

If you didn’t manage to get your boiler serviced before the busy months, then get in touch with our team today to arrange a service, which we recommend is done annually. Call us on 0117 935 2400.

The post Turning your boiler on? These are the common problems you might face appeared first on Gregor Heating, Electrical & Renewable Energy.

The latest Smart Technology creates a flexible, efficient home that works with your schedule. Wherever you are – at home, in the office or even in another country – you can control your heating and monitor your home security from your tablet, phone or laptop. Here’s just a few great examples of Smart Technology recommended by our experts:

Smart Security
The Netatmo Presence outdoor security camera detects and reports in real-time onto any of your devices for extra peace of mind.

It can identify the difference between cars, animals and humans. So, if someone loiters around your home, a car enters your driveway or your pet is in the yard, you can see and decide whether to be notified. It records only when something happens so there are no hours of empty footage.

Smart Lighting
With products such as Philips Hue, you can control your lights using your voice, smart device or a wireless switch. From your bedroom to your backyard, you can have brilliant and energy-efficient LED lights with intuitive technology that’s also compatible with motion sensors.

Smart Heating

Coming home to a cold house is now a thing of the past. With the latest smart heating controls, such as Honeywell’s Evohome or Worcester Bosch’s Wave, you can control your heating from your mobile phone.

Smart thermostats learn how long your home takes to heat up and cool down, provide detailed reports on your heating usage and even detect when your pipes are at risk of freezing and put the heating on, meaning you save on your energy bills.

Want to find out more how you could benefit from smart technologies in your home? Contact the Gregor Heating team for a free smart home consultation with one of our experts on 0117 935 2400.

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The open homes events allow people to visit real homes made cheaper to heat, more comfortable, kinder to the environment and energy smart – exactly our kind of thing.

With energy costs rising, the only way to protect yourself against these costs is to keep your home as energy efficient as possible. Whether that’s through the installation of renewable technologies such as solar panels, electrical devices such as smart thermostats to control your heating, or replacing old boilers. Installing a more efficient A-rated gas boiler that burns less fuel could save you up to 20% on your gas bill.

Here’s to an efficient weekend!

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