Edinburgh Boiler Company announces free regional heat ‘health check’ scheme

Scottish heating specialist the Edinburgh Boiler Company is undertaking a month-long fuel poverty prevention scheme focused on providing more efficient heat.

Fully qualified engineers will visit homes across the Lothian region of Scotland this month to offer free central heating ‘health checks’ to ensure appliances fitted work as efficiently as they can.

This health check is based on an 8-point checklist designed by the company looking at boiler and heating controls, radiator systems and valves, thermostats, operational settings of a system and timers.

The company claimed that the project is made possible through a £30,000 investment by its managed director Mark Glasgow.

Mr Glasgow said that the project was a response to concerns about soaring fuel prices that are expected to impact the basic affordability of heating homes for millions of people. The investment has been made after the company posted record annual turnover in December last year.

Mr Glasgow said, “During the month of March, we will have a dedicated team on hand, both in the office and out in the field, whose focus will be on carrying out efficiency checks on boilers and heating systems.

“These will be free to anyone, not just our customer base, who wants any advice and help ensuring they are heating their houses as efficiently as possible.

A major message of the campaign was that even small changes in heating systems can result in significant differences in terms of cost savings for end users, according to Mr Glasgow.

He said, “For example, according to research carried out by The Energy Savings Trust, annual heating bills increase by around 10 per cent for every degree a thermostat is turned up.”

“On the other hand, turning the thermostat down will not only save money but can reduce a typical home’s carbon emissions by about 300kg a year for every lower degree.”

Energy market regulator Ofgem announced in February that it would be increasing the UK’s energy price cap threshold by 54 per cent from April. This is expected to result in over 22 million homes across the country paying as much as £600 more for their annual heating.

The predicted surge in costs has seen growing calls from fuel poverty campaigners and industry bodies for support to help improve the energy efficiency of millions of homes to curb domestic heat demand and eventually support a shift to lower carbon systems.