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The Leaf: Issue 9 Jan 2022 – Make 2022 Your Most Efficient Year Yet As Energy Prices Skyrocket

We all want to go forward into 2022 positively after another tough year in 2021, but positive news of fewer Covid cases and easing of restrictions was at times overshadowed by news of crippling energy price rises, a host of smaller energy firms going under, outcry for government financial support and widespread concern for the most vulnerable households that are being hit the hardest.

 

In this first issue of The Leaf in 2022, we’ll show you our 5 key areas we’ll be talking about this year where you can make some of the biggest savings, and how to achieve them with the help of a professional installer, after a quick update about sustainability actions here at Drayton.

 

A New Biodiversity Garden for Plymouth

As part of our commitment to a holistic sustainability approach, we know it’s not just about reducing our carbon emissions. We’re excited to announce work has begun at our Plymouth factory and office site to convert a disused area into a green space, for our employees to enjoy during their breaks, along with a quiet, minimally disturbed area dedicated to promoting local biodiversity, with pollinator-friendly plant species and refuges for wildlife.

Our employees will soon get the chance to tell us what they want to see in our new biodiversity garden, and to get involved with its creation and upkeep.

Disused sheds at the rear of the site have been cleared and what remains is a blank canvas for us to realise this exciting biodiversity garden project. To support its development and ensure that what we build and what we plant is best for our particular location, an environmental survey will be carried out at the future garden’s location next month.

 

Eco-friendly Packaging Launching in France and Germany

You might have spotted in our September issue of The Leaf that we’re introducing eco-friendly brown (or kraft) packaging across our range of products, which reduces the environmental impact of our packaging’s manufacture and enables easier recycling and disposal.

The great news is that the eco-friendly packaging for Wiser products is making its way to retailers in France and Germany by the end of March this year. We look forward to letting you know when you’ll see this new packaging in the UK soon.

 

2022 is the year to improve efficiency

Let's face it, 2021 was another difficult year for all, not helped by record energy price rises which saw dozens of energy firms go bust last year. And it doesn’t stop there, according to Ofgem, energy prices will rise by a further 54% (£693) from April 2022, as default tariff caps are increased, putting more households under pressure.

But there are steps you can take to reduce energy bills and with heating being a major energy expense in the home, professional installers everywhere are gearing up to support customers in maximising their efficiency. Changes to Building Regulations Part L are just around the corner – including mandatory system balancing, room-to-room control and low flow temperature – to improve home heating efficiency in the short term, with several benefits:

  • Reduce energy usage and household bills
  • Prepare heating systems across the UK for the transition to low carbon heating technology
  • Motivate heating installers to upskill to maximise heating efficiency for their customers
  • Lower household carbon footprint to help the UK meet its net zero goals

 

How to make 2022 your most efficient year yet

Several of these steps should only be undertaken by a professional heating installer for the very best results. And there’s no need to wait until you replace your boiler, we encourage you to request these services to increase your heating system’s efficiency and make the most of the savings they offer. Find a local installer here.

  1. Switch to smart heating controls – By upgrading a basic (Class I) thermostat to a modern device (Class V or above) that better modulates the boiler, you could save 12%* energy even with no other measures being taken, and save up to 6% more on top of that by upgrading to smart controls like Wiser that offer superior control to finetune and schedule your system, along with other smart modes which in total could save you £200 a year in energy bills. Find out more about Saving Energy With Wiser.

 

  1. Get multi-room heating – Research shows that adding room-to-room control with thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) in every room saves up to 19%* more energy compared to no room-to-room control. Wiser radiator thermostats combine the benefits of room-to-room heating with smart control.

 

  1. System balancing – Whilst it’s best practice, industry research found this important step isn’t always carried out as standard for new boiler installations, despite findings it could save 8.8%** energy by improving radiator efficiency. Ask an installer to check and rebalance your system. Drayton makes the process easier with the Drayton Balancing Key, allowing balancing from the valve body with no need to drain the system.

 

  1. Turning the thermostat down by 1°C - Research shows this easy step can save up to 10% energy, that's around £80 a year saved on heating bills. This step is easy, free and it’s unlikely you’ll notice a difference in comfort.

 

  1. Lower flow temperatures - Setting your boiler to a lower flow temp can save 8%*** energy consumption. This step also paves the way for heat pump compatibility in future. If the existing radiators in the home can offer the right amount of comfort, then running a heat pump will work in the same way and not require radiator upgrades on top of the cost of the heat pump install.

 

These 5 key areas will be big news in the realm of home heating from this year on, and we’ll soon be providing you with more detailed information and recommendations on each of these steps. So, join us on social media today to learn more about combatting energy price rises using this efficiency toolbelt, get ahead of increasing costs by taking action now, and see real results in your bills.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn today.

 

*BEAMA and Salford University Energy House Research 2021

** BEAMA, CIPHE, HHIC, HPA, SEA

***HHIC

 

Learn more about some smaller improvements you can make to your home to make big savings and reduce energy use and wastage, with How To Improve Heating Efficiency In 10 Steps from our October 2021 issue of The Leaf.

Read even more tips to reduce energy bills in our Wiser blog Can We Cut The Cost Of Heating?

 

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