Controls on your boiler

There is a thermostat on your boiler.

A thermostat with a red cross beside it.

The thermostat on your boiler is not the same as your room thermostat.

A family sitting on a sofa. Behind them is a thermostat and a radiator which has heat coming from it.

Your room thermostat sets the temperature in your rooms.

The thermostat on your boiler sets the temperature of the water that goes from the boiler to the radiators. This is called the flow temperature.

A woman looking at her watch. Behind her is a radiator with heat coming from it.

The flow temperature affects how quickly your house heats up and how hot your radiators are to touch.

The flow temperature might also affect the temperature of the hot water in your taps.

A boiler and a pot of money with some pennies going into the pot.

Turning down the flow temperature makes your boiler work in a way which will save you energy and money.

A man smiling with his thumbs up. Behind him is a radiator with heat coming from it.

But you need to make sure that your home is still warm enough.

How to change the thermostat on your boiler

A lady reading a book. Behind her is a boiler.

There are lots of different types of boilers so you might want to read the instructions for your boiler.

A lady talking to a man who is listening to her.

If you do not have the instructions, you might be able to find them on the internet, or ask someone you trust to help you.

a dial with a picture of a tap and a plus and a minus sign

The thermostat on your boiler might be a dial that’s marked in numbers or marked on a scale from minimum (min) to maximum (max).

It might be controlled by some buttons with the temperature shown on a digital display.

A dial with a green arrow pointing to a radiator and a dial with a green arrow pointing to a tap with hot water coming from it.

If you have a combi boiler, there will be 2 controls:

1 for the radiator flow
1 for the hot water that goes to your taps.

A thermostat with a green arrow pointing to a radiator. There is a blue arrow on the thermostat pointing towards the minus sign.

On a combi boiler you can turn the flow temperature down as much as you like as long as your home stays warm enough.

a thermostat with 2 green arrows from it. 1 arrow is pointing to a radiator and 1 arrow is pointing to a tap with hot water coming from it.

If you have a boiler with a separate hot water cylinder or hot water tank, there is 1 control for the radiator flow and the hot water that goes to your taps.

A thermometer showing 65 degrees and a green arrow between 60 and 65 degrees.

You should set the temperature between 60 and 65 degrees.

A lady holding her stomach and her head. Behind her is a thermometer showing between 55 and 60 degrees.ng

If you set the temperature too low, bacteria that can make you very poorly can grow.

A laptop screen showing the word 'click'.

There is a helpful video that you can watch about How to use your boiler heating system

How to get help

A laptop screen showing a group of people and the word welcome.

You can get help and advice on our website at www.mencap.org.uk/COL

A lady thinking about money and looking worried.

If you are worried about money, contact our Learning Disability Helpline:

Call us Monday to Friday on 0808 808 1111

A laptop screen showing an envelope and the word email.

Email us at helpline@mencap.org.uk

Fill in our online form

Thank you to British Gas Energy Trust for funding.