From 1st January 2018 all electric heaters sold in the UK must meet a set of minimum efficiency standards, this means that at the very least all heaters will have to incorporate intelligent room temperature controls to minimise wasted energy and comply with Energy Related Products Regulations (ERP).
The energy labelling requirements apply also to the appliances that have been produced/imported before the entry into force of the regulation (1/1/2018 or 1/1/2022 depending on the product), but were stored at the retailers’ premises for the meantime.
Find out how to use Electric heating controls smart thermostats to save money on your heating bills. No more fiddling with difficult analogue timers, and manually switching on heaters every time you get cold.
What are intelligent electric heating controls?
Intelligent controls managing the running times of your electric heater will incorporate a minimum of three features:
- High accuracy temperature control +-0,1°.
- Adaptive temperature control and Eco start functionality.
- 24/7 programming functions, and integrated real-time energy consumption.
- Smart Open Window Technology.
- Presence detection.
- Smart Control V27 self-programming technology.
- Ergonomic digital thermostat.
- Built-in Wifi with the smartphone app.
- Intelli Heat electric radiators are Eco Design “Lot 20” Compliant.
Adjusting room thermostats.
Accurate temperature control means that you can keep the room at the temperature that you need it. Every Intelli Heat radiator thermostat works by sensing the precise air temperature in every room. It switches on (21.5 – 22.5 degrees) the radiator individually when this falls below the digital thermostat setting, and switches it background setback temperature (14.5 – 15 degrees) when the required temperature is reached.
See Annex II of Regulation (EU) 1275/2008: No. LOT 20
Annex I(20) of Regulation (EU) 2015/1188 and Annex I(18) of Regulation (EU) 2015/1185 define a product “with electronic room temperature control plus week timer” as a product which is “equipped with an electronic device, either integrated or external, that allows the product to automatically vary its heat output over a certain time period, in relation to a certain required level of indoor heating comfort, and allows the setting of timing and temperature levels for a full week. During the 7-day period the settings must allow a variation on a day-to-day basis”.
A predefined fixed factory setting would not “allow the setting of timing and temperature levels”. It would also not fulfil the requirement of “the settings must allow a variation on a day-to-day basis”.
Zoned heating:
Zoned heating is by far the most efficient programming setup. The Intelli Heat efficient systems will allow you to have zoned heating, so you can set different temperatures in different rooms. One way of doing this is through the smart digital build in thermostat, or the MYSENSE APP which will also allow you to control your heating from your phone when you’re away from home.
To see which intelligent electric heating zoning controls is appropriate for your apartment, home, office, hotel, commercial shop there are a few questions to ask:
- How many rooms have electric radiators?
- How many radiators are in each room?
- How many zones i need, and how many radiators are in each Zone?
- Do you wish to control the hot water as well?
Precise temperature control (by 0.5 degrees) will prevent your room from overheating, meaning that you do not waste energy overheating a room sometimes by 2 or 3 degrees , and ending up paying a fortune.
How much energy could be saved by making small changes to everyday household behaviours?
For every degree you turn down your thermostat (and leave it there) you save between 3 and 5 percent of your electric heating bill. Turning your temperature down by only 1 degree can save £80 a year, and 350 KGS of Co2.
The big heating issue is convection, resulting in drafts at floor level as make up air is drawn through the rim/band joist or fenestration rough openings to make up for air passing through the ceiling. If the temperature between the floor is more than 2-degrees lower than at the height of the wall thermostat your clients will be uncomfortable. If you want to do a quick check to see if convective heat loss (and resulting drafts) are a problem measure the temperature difference at the baseboard, half way up the wall and at the ceiling.
In a government study research the top energy-saving behaviours to emerge from this work were:
- Turn thermostat down by 2 degrees from 20°C to 18°C (3 KWh)
- Turn thermostat down by 1 degree from 19°C to 18°C (1.6 KWh)
- Delay start of heating from October to November (11 KWh)
- Replace standard analogue Thermostat Radiators with intelligent electric heating controls (5 KWh)
- Zoned heating turn off heating in unused rooms (6 KWh)
