getting the most from your home heating · greenstore ground source heat pump or greensource air...

Win a Greenstar‘A’ rated boiler for your home

Getting the most from your home heating

Winter 2008/2009

Reduce your fuel bills and helpthe environment

2 Greener future | Winter 2008/2009

Welcome

Worcester, Bosch Group has launched anationwide ‘Saving Britain Money’ advertisingcampaign. With rising energy costs and soaringfuel bills high on the news agenda, the commondenominator across the Worcester range of gasand oil-fired boilers and renewable heatingtechnologies (solar water heating, air source andground source heat pumps) is that the productscan save homeowners a significant amount ofmoney on fuel bills.

Under the tag line ‘Saving Britain Money’, Worcesterhas created the campaign to highlight to Britishfamilies the savings that can be made by updatingyour heating system. The campaign will appear acrossa variety of national newspapers and magazines thiswinter, so look out for the advert.

Worcester: Saving Britain money

Visit www.worcester-bosch.co.uk for more information on Worcester products

Find out how you cansave money on yourfuel bills this winter,urges Richard Soper,managing director ofWorcester, BoschGroup:

“Heating systems are, by andlarge, a low interest category forconsumers, but when you takeinto consideration the escalatingfuel prices in this country andour ongoing concern for theenvironment, it’s worth paying abit more attention to the subjectas the nights get colder.

“Did you know that some olderboilers (10 – 15 years old) canbe as low as 60 - 70% efficient?This means that you could bewasting as much as 30 - 40pence of every pound you spendon your fuel bills. If you were toupdate to a new, condensingSEDBUK ‘A’ rated Greenstarboiler, at least 90 pence ofevery pound spent on fuel willbe used to provide heating andhot water for your home. Notonly that but, installing a

condensing boiler can increaseyour home energy rating by anentire band, i.e. from an energyrating of E to D.

“As a result, we have launched abrand new advertising campaignunder the banner ‘Saving BritainMoney’ to make surehomeowners know that thereare things that can be done toreduce these ever increasingfuel bills. There really has neverbeen a better time to talk aboutheating and this magazine willprovide you with plenty ofinformation on a variety ofheating and hot water solutions.If you have any furtherquestions, do not hesitate to call.”

T: 08705 266241

3Greener future | Winter 2008/2009

Results of the Superbrandsurvey have revealed that Boschhas been voted the 8th mostpopular brand out of a potential500 companies in the UK.Voted for by a group of over2,200 consumers, this resultwas published in the 2008 -2009 Superbrands survey.

According to the SuperbrandsCouncil; “A Superbrand hasestablished the finestreputation in its field. It offerscustomers significant emotionaland tangible advantages overother brands, which(consciously or sub-consciously)customers want and recognise.”

As part of Worcester’s ongoingcommitment to being anenvironmentally responsiblemanufacturer, we have anumber of policies in place toensure that we are minimizingour impact on the planet.

Customers are encouraged toregister their new WorcesterGreenstar condensing boileron the Worcester website(www.worcester-bosch.co.uk)so that Worcester can plant atree in partnership with TheWoodland Trust. So far almost5,000 trees have be, whichstarted in early 2007.

Worcester has outlined itscommitment to significantlycut CO2 emissions producedby the business and achievezero waste to landfill sites by 2009.

Setting new standards for the industry, Worcester’sapproach is based onproducing the absoluteminimum carbon from theoutset, rather than producingCO2 and then offsetting it lateron down the line.

By working with suppliers,employees and the localcommunity in the location ofits factory sites, Worcester’spreventative approach toreducing CO2 production formspart of its dedicated plan toimprove the environment forfuture generations, as well ashelping to influence othersabout future fuel and material uses.

Worcester:Taking our environmental responsibility seriously

Leading consumer body,Which? asked more than4,000 of its memberswhether they weresatisfied with their boilerbreakdown and servicecover, and found; “Thewinner by far in our surveywas Worcester, BoschGroup, which was ratedhighly for customer careand value for money andhad an overall customersatisfaction score of68%.”

Worcester’s closestcompetitors scored 57%each, 11% belowWorcester’s score.Worcester prides itself oncustomer care and thecontact centre team inWorcester work hard toensure calls are answeredpromptly and problemsare resolved swiftly.

Which? GivesWorcester thethumbs up onafter care

BOSCH voted 8thSuperbrand in the UK

Tel: 08457 256 206 , 7am - 8pm, Mon - Fri | 8am - 5pm, Sat | 9am - 12pm Sun

How big is your

property?

Find the right

4 Greener future | Winter 2008/2009 Visit www.worcester-bosch.co.uk for more information on Worcester products

All of Worcester’s Greenstar gas and oil-fired boilers are SEDBUK ‘A’ rated for efficiency. Greenstar LPGboilers are available to homeowners who are not able to access gas or oil. This chart is intended as a guideonly, or more information visit www.worcester-bosch.co.uk/homeowner/product/find-a-boiler or discussyour specific requirements with a Worcester Accredited Installer. To find an accredited installer in your areavisit www.worcester-bosch.co.uk/homeowner/products/find-an-installer

Do youhave a loft

or space fora hot watercylinder?

It is mostlikely youhave a loft

and/or spacefor a hot

watercylinder

YES

NO

START HERE

1-2 Bedroom, 1 Bathroom

3-4 Bedroom, 1 Bathroom,

1 ensuite

4+ Bedroom, 2+ Bathrooms

Would youprefer hot

water heateddirectly fromthe mains?

boiler for you

5Greener future | Winter 2008/2009Tel: 08457 256 206 , 7am - 8pm, Mon - Fri | 8am - 5pm, Sat | 9am - 12pm Sun

A COMBI OR COMBINATION BOILER is best suited for your property. It willprovide continuous hot water on demandto all taps at mains pressure, with noneed for a hot water storage cylinder.

You could also consider investing in renewable technologiessuch as Worcester’s Greenskies solar water heating system,

Greenstore ground source heat pump or Greensource airsource heat pump. See pages 8 & 9 for more information.

A SYSTEM OR REGULAR BOILERmay be best to suit your needs.Regular boilers are suitable for homeswith a traditional heating and hotwater system, requiring more spacefor a hot water storage cylinder andexpansion cistern.

System boilers are ideal for large homes, needing a hot watercylinder to feed several hot water outlets within the home.

NO

YES

BoilersAll you need to know

Martyn Bridges*Source: Consumer Direct

� Since 2003, electricity prices have risen by around 50% and gas prices by around 90%*

� The average household electricity bill has risen by £141 and the average gas bill by £300*

� A further 40% rise is predicted by the end of the year, which could account for a crippling £1,467 of a household’s annual budget*

FACTS

With costs soaring in all areas,it’s easy to dismiss spendingmoney on a new boiler, optinginstead to pay out for regularrepairs. However, if thepredictions are true and gasand electricity prices continueto rise, a new boiler could infact be a significant investment,helping to reduce your fuel billsand save money in the long-term.

Householders who have hadtheir existing boiler for tenyears or more could save up to£250 a year**, by simplyupgrading to a condensingmodel.

Worcester’s Greenstar range ofgas and oil-fired condensing boilers are all over 90%

efficient and are ‘A’ rated forefficiency, which means theyare better for the environmentas well as reducing fuel bills.

There are three main types ofhigh-efficiency condensingboilers – combination or‘combi’, system and regular.

Combination or ‘combi’ boilersheat your home and provideinstant hot water without theneed for a hot water cylinder.Combi boilers are anincreasingly popular choice inUK homes and in fact, accountfor well over half of all the newdomestic boilers installed inBritain every year. (two out ofthree boilers in the UK arecombi’s.)

Regular boilers are suitable forhomes with a traditional

heating and hot water system.Unlike a combi, regular boilerswork on the principle of storedwater and require a separatehot water cylinder, whichdetermines how manybathrooms can be supplied.Regular boilers require morespace than either a combi orsystem boiler, needing a feedand expansion cistern and coldwater storage cistern in the roofspace.

System boilers also use storedwater which allows them tofeed several hot water taps at atime, making them ideal forlarge homes. In contrast toregular boilers, system boilershave most of the majorcomponents of the heating andhot water system built in,making them more efficient andless space consuming.


**Compared to a boiler over 10 years old, using a full set of heating controls in conjunction with a high-efficiencycondensing boiler. Source: Energy Saving Trust

Don’t just take our word for it,even the professionals installWorcester’s condensing boilersin their own home. Paul Gittingruns Whitworth Gas Heating, inLincolnshire. He lives, with hiswife and two daughters, in athree-bedroom semi-detachedproperty in Sutton Bridge,which was in serious need of acentral heating upgrade. Paulexplains:

“We’ve lived in our home fornearly ten years and with gasprices on the rise we decidednow was the time to upgradeour heating system. We chose aWorcester Greenstar CDi gas-fired combi boiler – and what adifference it has made.

“Being in the industry andhaving first hand knowledge ofthe benefits of a condensingboiler, it seemed ridiculous thatwe continued to pay through-the-roof prices for our fuel billswhen I knew we would reduceour heating costs with thissimple installation. Sinceupgrading to a Worcestercondensing boilerwe’ve savedaround45% on ourheating

bills and with gas prices on therise, this will continue toincrease! “It’s great to get home at anytime of the day or night andhave as much hot water as weneed straight away. An addedbonus is that the boiler keepsitself ready to supply hot waterso we hardly have to wait forthe water from the tap to get upto temperature, saving watertoo – which is great if you’re ona water meter.

“Having worked with Worcesterfor many years I choose theirproducts because they are soreliable and you can trust themto deliver.”

Martyn Bridges, director oftechnical support at Worcesteradds, “Most of us don’t thinkabout our heating system untilsomething goes wrong, despitethe fact that a boiler that isn’tregularly serviced will cost usmuch more in fuel bills.

“Even if your boiler is not allthat old it is really importantthat you use a qualified

engineer toundertake an annualinspection,especiallyleading up to thewinter months, toensure it is runningat its most efficient.What’s more, aregular ‘check up’will help to prolongthe life of yourboiler, avoiding a lotof costly repairs andeven some partreplacements.”

Top Tip:

7Tel: 08457 256 206 , 7am - 8pm, Mon - Fri | 8am - 5pm, Sat | 9am - 12pm Sun Greener future | Winter 2008/2009

When talking to yourinstaller about replacingyour boiler, don’t forget totalk about temperaturecontrols. Sarah Colligan,brand manager atWorcester explains:

“The value of getting thecorrect heating controls isoften overlooked. But thefact is that, depending onthe size of your boiler andthe heating load within, theoperating efficiency of acondensing boiler can besignificantly enhanced by upto 13% when installed withthe correct controls. Byreducing the temperatureon your thermostat by 1˚Cyou could save 10% off yourannual fuel bill.”

Worcester also takes thehassle out of finding aqualified and reputableinstaller in your local area,visitwww.worcester-bosch.co.uk/findaninstaller

Sarah Colligan

Paul Gitting


‘FREE’ ENERGYRenewable technology in actionAs well as our award winning high efficiency boilers, Worcesteris a market leading provider of renewable technologies;

Greenskies solar water heating system

The most popular renewabletechnology, Worcester’s Greenskies

solar panels work by absorbing solarenergy to provide hot water for your

home, even on cloudy days. Annually, solarpanels will provide 50%-70% of a home’s hot

water supply, allowing you to turn off your boilerin summer months. The heat generated by the

panels is pumped directly into a twin coiled watercylinder and the boiler works alongside this

technology to ensure a constant supply of hotwater all year round.

9Greener future | Winter 2008/2009

* - Source: Energy Savings Trust, visit www.energysavingtrust.org.uk ** - Based on an air source heat pump providing 100% of space heating

Heating method Installation costs Annual savings (£) CO2 savings per year

Greenskies solar waterheating system

Expect to pay between£3,200 and £4,500depending on your property

£50 per year – Gas£65 per year - Oil

325 kg365 kg

Greensource air-to-airsource heat pumps

£1,500 - £2,000 £185 per year – Gas£370 per year – Oil

830 kg6 tonnes

Greensource air-to-water** heat pumps

£7,000 - £8,500 £185 per year – Gas£370 per year – Oil

830 kg6 tonnes

Greenstore groundsource heat pumps

Each installation is uniqueto the property but typicallycost from £8,000 - £12,000

£250 – Gas£490 – Oil

1.2 tonnes1.8 tonnes

Greensource air source heat pumpsWorcester’s Greensource air source heat pumpsextract energy from the outside air and use it toheat a home and its hot water supply, replacingthe need for a boiler. Worcester has recentlylaunched two options; air-to-water which heats abuilding through radiators or an underfloorheating system and air-to-air systems whichproduce warm air that is circulated for spaceheating. They work very effectively even when theoutside temperature is as low as -20oC.

The air-to-water system is fairly new to the UK butextremely popular in Scandinavia and eliminatesthe need to rely on costly non-renewable sourcesof energy (such as gas or oil) at all. It useselectricity to run the pump but, when correctlyinstalled, can produce up to four times more heatenergy than the electrical energy consumed.

Greenstore ground source heat pumpsIdeal if you’re building orrenovating your own home,ground source heat pumps(GSHP’s) take solar energystored in the ground anduse it to meet the heatingand hot water needs of anentire household. Thistechnology also replaces the need for a boiler and

is an perfect partner for underfloor heating and radiators.

Ground source heat pumps are run by electricity,but users can reduce this cost by subscribing toa green tariff scheme, which offers discounts onelectricity used to promote renewables. Asenergy bills are reduced, GSHP’s offer a paybackwhich significantly betters those of otherrenewable technologies.

As we become ever more aware of ‘green’technologies and the need to reduce our heatingbills Worcester is offering its customers a £2,000cash-back scheme throughout 2009. Alternatively,the Government provides a grant to help coverthe costs of the initial outlay as part of its LowCarbon Buildings Programme, offering eligiblehouseholds a maximum of £2,500. To find outmore about the Government grants available forthe installation of renewable technology products visit www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk

Tel: 08457 256 206 , 7am - 8pm, Mon - Fri | 8am - 5pm, Sat | 9am - 12pm Sun

Money talks; what you can expect to pay and get back *


Q: I need to replace my old boiler, I’ve heard people talking about ‘condensing’boilers but what’s the difference and whyshould I choose a condensing model?

A: Martyn Bridges, director of technical supportat Worcester, Bosch Group says; “A condensingboiler is a high efficiency modern boiler thatrecovers and uses heat that would otherwise belost up the flue – for instance, all of Worcester’scondensing boilers are over 90% efficient, whichmeans they use over 90% of the produced fuel toheat the home. Whereas a standard efficiencyboiler, those over 10 years old, are usually onlyaround 60-70% efficient.

“According to the Energy Saving Trust, if everyonein the UK with gas central heating installed a highefficiency condensing boiler, we would saveenough energy to heat 3.3 million homes for awhole year and save around 12.5 million tonnesof CO2 emissions.”

Q: How does your home’s size determine thesize and type of boiler you choose?

A: Martyn Bridges, director of technical supportat Worcester, Bosch Group says; “In a nutshell,the larger the floor area, the larger the propertyand therefore the larger the boiler. In addition, aninstaller would take the number of bathrooms inthe home into consideration. The three differenttypes of high-efficiency condensing boiler; Combi,Regular (often referred to as a ‘traditional’ or‘conventional’ boiler) and System boiler deliverall the benefits of high-efficiency technology, butare suited to different homes and lifestylerequirements.

“A larger home usually means that there are morebathrooms and therefore a requirement forinstantaneous hot water from perhaps a numberof outlets at the same time. In this case, youwould probably need a hot water cylinder tostore enough hot water to meet the requirement

and therefore a Regular or System boiler will bemost suitable. A smaller home, with just onebathroom or perhaps one bathroom and an en-suite shower would have less call for multiplesimultaneous outlet operation, so a highefficiency condensing Combi boiler, which heatsthe water on demand will be suitable. Combiboilers now account for well over half of all thenew domestic boilers installed in Britain everyyear – as one compact unit will meet all yourheating and hot water requirements.”

Q: We have recently built a sun room at theback of our house, but in the Summer, it isextremely warm and in Winter, it gets very cold.What can we do to keep the room warm inWinter and cool in Summer that isn’t going tobe a drain on our fuel bills?

A: Neil Schofield, head of sustainabledevelopment at Worcester, Bosch Group says; “Consider installing a renewable technology suchas an air-to-air heat pump which uses the energyfrom the outside air to generate warm air heatingor cooling for the home. In the same way a fridgeextracts energy from the air and uses it to coolthe inside of the fridge, air source technologyextracts energy from the outdoor air and uses itto pump warm air into the home. In the Summer,you can reverse the process and use it as an aircooler and purifier. The life expectancy of an airsource heat pump is around 20-25 years withoutthe need for annual servicing, which makes it anideal investment. It costs around £1,500-£2,000depending on installation.”

Your questions answeredExperts at Worcester answer some of your questions

Martyn Bridges Neil Schofield

11Greener future | Winter 2008/2009Tel: 08457 256 206 , 7am - 8pm, Mon - Fri | 8am - 5pm, Sat | 9am - 12pm Sun

� Visit the homeowner section of Worcester’s website; www.worcester-bosch.co.uk for further information on the products and services available, such as;

• Finding an installer: You can type in your postcode to find a list of reliable qualified Worcester Accredited Installers in your area.

• Seeing how other homeowners have made a difference by installing new heating and hot water technology in our energy houses section.

• Working out what boiler would be most suitable for your home by answering a few simple questions.

• Getting more information on renewable technology.

� Want to talk to us in person?

Find us at Grand Designs Live or at one of the Homebuilding and Renovating Shows that run across the country throughout the year. Visit the events section of our website for more information.

� We also have two permanent display stands:

The Building Centre, 26 Store Street, London, WC1E 7BT Tel: 020 7692 4000 www.buildingcentre.co.uk

National Self Build & Renovation Centre, Lydiard Fields, Great Western Way, Swindon, SN5 8UB Tel: 01506 409 616 www.buildstore.co.uk

For more information on Worcester, Bosch Group’s range of products and services, visit: www.worcester-bosch.co.uk

To enquire about renewable technologies, call: 01905 752780 or email: [email protected]

For after sales boiler care, call: 08705 266241 or email: [email protected]

For general enquiries, call: 01905 754624 or email: [email protected]

Find out more

To enter, simply answer the following question and send the cut out voucher below to:Worcester Press Office, 43 Calthorpe Road, Birmingham, B15 1TS.

Q: How much of your hot water would you expect to get for free if you installed a solarwater heating system?

Answer:

Name:

Address:

Post Code:

Daytime Telephone No: Email:

I would like to receive further information from Worcester, Bosch Group

Please do not contact me with further information

Terms and Conditions - 1) The closing date for receipt of entries is 24:00 GMT on 31st March 2009. 2) The competition is open only toowners of domestic properties located within the mainland UK. 3) No purchase is necessary to enter the competition. 4) Onlycompetition winners who require a Regular or System boiler will be eligible for the solar installation. Other boiler models are notcompatible. 5) Only one entry per household is allowed. 6) Prizes are non–transferable and there is no cash alternative. 7) The Promoterreserves the right to substitute prizes of equal or greater value at any time. Full terms and conditions can be found by visitingwww.worcester-bosch.co.uk/competition

Win!One of Worcester’s Greenstar condensingboilers, all of which are SEDBUK A rated forefficiency as well as a Greenskies solar water heating system, including installation…AND your home will become one of the energy houses featured on our website.

8-716-114-621 C 11/08Tel: 08457 256 206 , 7am - 8pm, Mon - Fri | 8am - 5pm, Sat | 9am - 12pm Sun

getting the most from your home heating · greenstore ground source heat pump or greensource air...

Documents