Load compensation controls lower the flow temperature your boiler is running at to a level that's sufficient to reach the temperature set on your thermostat, reducing heat wastage. Controlling when your boiler is on and how hard it's working can save you money on your heating bills, but many domestic boilers are only set up to be on or off. You can see what 'phase' supply your home has by looking at the 'main switch' on your fuse box. If it looks like three switches combined into one then it is three-phase, if it's a single switch it's single phase. As a mechanical component, diverter valves can differ slightly in design, but it ultimately acts like a gatekeeper for water, sending the water in your heating system to where you require it at that moment. So, when you switch on a hot tap, the diverter valve will close off the central heating supply and send the water to the plate heat exchanger, which warms the water for that lovely hot tap water or deliciously warm shower. The next possible culprit to suspect if your boiler won’t turn off is the programmer. Usually, boilers feature a timer or a heating programmer. The former automatically turns your boiler on at a specific time every day, while the latter gives you greater control over the appliance beyond merely turning it on.

How will I know if I have this? If you have a gravity-fed hot water cylinder, you'll usually have a tank in the loft, and another storage tank below it somewhere else in your home, often in the airing cupboard. No cylinder insulation UK homes can have a variety of supply fuse sizes, but let's say yours is 100 amps. This means your home's electrical equipment, including your boiler, can draw up to 100 amps in total at any given time. If your electrics need upgrading it could dramatically drive up the installation cost of a switch from a gas to an electric boiler.The other type doesn't require a tank in the loft, but instead just one hot water cylinder. Heat-only boiler controls As described above, a flow switch works by allowing or stopping the flow of gas or liquid through a pipe. In a boiler, the flow switch is there to prevent the boiler from igniting if there is too much gas in the system that hasn’t been expelled. It will only allow the boiler to fire up if it detects that the fans are spinning at the required speed to get rid of excess gas. A boiler flow switch can also tell if the flow of water has been interrupted or has stopped completely, and will prevent the boiler from firing up in this case too.

If you are considering installing an electric boiler, get your home's suitability assessed by a local expert engineer first. They can evaluate and advise on the best heating system for you. Single-phase versus three-phase electricity supplyA faulty thermostat will not be able to sense when the water temperature has gone over or below the predetermined point, so your boiler will continue to operate way past where it should normally stop heating. If you have an existing external wired thermostat, the boiler switch will replace the cables placed there If electric boilers grow in popularity among homeowners, we may see warranty lengths start to increase.

If you have a low heating demand, for example you live in a smaller property and/or your home is insulated well (so heat doesn't escape easily), you'll need your heating on for less time and the costs to run an electric boiler may be manageable.Not suitable for larger homes – electric boilers typically have lower maximum outputs, meaning they may struggle to meet the higher heating and hot water demands of larger homes. They'll be fine for smaller homes, though. We explain why later. Avoid following any blanket rules for how long your central heating should be on for, as this will depend on your home. What works for a home that's highly energy efficient might not be best suited to one that isn't. The phase supply of your home and if the electric boiler is suitable for it – an electric boiler needs to suit your home's electricity supply, whether that's single or three-phase. Higher energy demands may require a change from single-phase to three-phase. If installed correctly, the switch should remain in the ON position. However, Clark says, “Because the switch can sometimes be mistaken for a light switch it can sometimes be turned off accidentally.” If you search online for “ child safety light switch protective covers,” you’ll find switch covers and toggle guards that can help keep your furnace switch on the ON position.