Conventional zoning is really only worth undertaking in larger properties. It involves piping two heating zones, usually ground floor and first floor. Each zone is controlled by a separate thermostat, allowing you to set different temperatures on each floor thus saving energy. For example, 21 degrees downstairs and 16 degree upstairs.

A thermostat sets the desired room temperature whilst a programmer gives the user great control of the times the heating is on. A programmable room thermostat is a combined unit that does both. There are two main types of programmer: 1 day and 7 day (although some with a 5/2 day options). Most programmers will allow you set 2-6 time periods per day and also set different temperatures for each time period. If you only have a thermostat then your boiler will fire on and off all day unless 1) you turn the thermostat down when you out or 2) you switch the boiler off when you go out. Single Channel and Twin Channel Programmers A ‘channel’, like a radio channel, is the means by which the thermostat communicates with the systems it controls. This is a very simple system and can mean the boiler comes on an off all day to meet the room temperature unless you manually turn the temperature down. It also means that the boiler tends to ‘overshoot’ the set room temperature by 1 or 2 degrees. Honeywell ST9400C 7 Day Programmer is a 2 channel programmer, designed for control of both heating and stored hot water in complete systems. The heating and hot water programmes are completely independent, to allow the system to be operated in the most energy efficient manner possible.TOP TIP make sure your advanced heating control is compatible with your preferred boiler. If the advanced control uses weather compensation, load compensation or both then the control and the boiler must be able to communicate with each other in the same ‘language’. Most boiler manufacturers use a bespoke language that means only their ‘compensation’ controls can work with their boilers. Some boiler and control manufacturers have adopted the ‘Opentherm’ language which means that differ products, such as a Honeywell control and Baxi boiler can speak with each other. See our Guide to Opentherm products and alternative controls 4) Which control do I need to comply with Boiler Plus? All Honeywell ST9400 models incorporate the Line of Text (LoT™) display that gives clear plain English instructions whenever any button or slider is used. This means that installers, customers and users can operate all of the controls reliably, without needing to find an instruction manual. If you are extending your property significantly, you may wish to consider separating the ground and first floor radiators in this way. It will involve re-plumbing parts of the system and additional pipework, as well as adding zone valves to each circuit. Thermostatic Radiator Valves These are used with regular and system boilers where the programmer needs to control the heating and the hot water timing. (They can also be used with combi boilers where there are two separate heating circuits or a mix of radiators and underfloor heating). At their most basic, heating controls tell the boiler to come on and go off via a room thermostat. A room thermostat is set to the desired temperature and it will tell the boiler to come on until that room temperature is reached. Once reached, the thermostat will tell the boiler to go off again. These take the form of a digital display or a dial thermostat.

require time and temperature controls, i.e. a programmable room thermostat or a thermostat with separate programmer. New installations of a combi boiler: A programmable room stat will have commonly have one (single) or two (twin) channels, although some have three. The first channel will control the boiler. The second channel will control the hot water. d. Flue gas recovery unit - this sits above the boiler and recovers heat from the flue. It is reported to reduce gas consumption by upto 4%. If you want to set different times on different days, you will need what is called a ‘seven-day’ programmable thermostat. Combi, heat only and system boilers are compatible with programmable thermostats but you will need to factor in hot water controls if you have a heat only or system boiler. A programmable thermostat for a combi boiler need only control the heating, as the hot water is instantaneous. The table below shows a selection of standard and smart programmable thermostats from Honeywell, Baxi, Ideal, Nest, Tado and Drayon. This is called a ‘single channel’ programmer. The single channel (as in radio channel) is for the thermostat to send a signal to the boiler. NB these are compatible with heat only and system boilers however a separate control for hot water will be required. Under the new Boiler Plus regulations a new combi boiler must be fitted with an ‘advanced heating control’ (see below). wireless thermostats with programmers (non smart control)

Review and compare Smart Controls, including Boiler Branded smart controls, also referred to as remote heating controls, internet controls and wifi controls. A room thermostat controls the heating in your home. If the room's temperature drops below your chosen temperature, the thermostat will switch on. Once the room has reached the chosen temperature, the thermostat will turn the heating off, preventing overheating and reducing energy consumption. This can help reduce your home's energy consumption.

Slightly different minimum requirements apply depending on boiler type (combi, heat only or system) and whether the heating control is being fitted to an existing installation or fitted as part of a new boiler. The boxes below set the requirements according to your circumstances. Remember to fit a compatible Boiler Plus product. If you are fitting a new boiler with a smart heating control we strongly recommend you review our Guide to the Best Smart Controls or Guide to Opentherm products and alternative controls for non-smart products. New installations of a heat only or system boiler: The Honeywell ST9400C Two Channel unit is a 7 day full programmer that gives great flexibility offering up to three on/off switchings per day, additionally each day can be programmed differently, which is ideal for when the user has different heating needs from day to day. The Honeywell ST9400C can be set to 5/2 day or 1 day programme during installation. For smaller properties, the work and cost involved in re-piping the system to create two zones is rarely worth it. There are more cost effective, and less disruptive, ways of achieving variations in temperature.These are used with combi boilers, as it is not necessary to control the hot water separately (this is done by the boiler). New minimum efficiency standards were introduced in April 2018 aimed at reducing the amount of fuel we use to heat our homes. It is now mandatory for every new boiler installation to be fitted with a programmable room thermostat and, for combi boilers, an additional energy saving measure:

Load compensation takes the difference between the lower internal room temperature and the desired room temperature and adjusts the boiler’s output to close the gap as efficiently as possible. Some weather compensation systems use data from the local weather station to inform your heating system of a change in temperature. This is less accurate but makes for a more straightforward installation with fewer parts to go wrong.Setting times for central heating and hot water to switch on and off can help reduce your home's energy consumption. Smart radiator valves will also individually control heat radiator, the difference is that the temperature can be controlled by a central programmable room stat. Smart valves can be grouped together to operate as a single circuit or controlled individually. They are a very easy fit to most radiators. Every boiler installation must have an ErP efficiency of at least 92% (see our Guide to Boiler Efficiencies). All new boilers must be fitted with time and temperature controls e.g. a programmable room thermostat, if not already present The common aim of all advanced controls is to ensure the boiler is on for the shortest possible time to meet the room temperature. Standard controls tend to overshoot the room temperature by 1 or 2 degrees which is very inefficient. Advanced controls reduce the heat output of the boiler as it approaches the desired temperature to prevent overshooting. The net result is a reduction is gas use and lower fuel bills.