Now is the time to take your heating issues seriously - Heating Controllers
With energy costs continuing to rise, businesses can no longer afford to ignore inefficiencies in their heating systems. One of the most common – and most overlooked – causes of wasted energy is poorly set or incorrectly programmed heating controllers.
During last year alone, our engineers found that around 80% of commercial heating systems we attended had controllers set up incorrectly. In many cases, buildings were being heated when no one was present, or systems were running far longer than necessary – costing businesses thousands of pounds in avoidable energy bills.
The good news? Most of these issues are easy to fix once they’re identified.
John Rodgers, CEO, gives his top tips to ensure the maximum efficiency for warehouses and factories as winter approaches.
Incorrect Time Schedules
Different businesses have different occupancy patterns – offices, warehouses, factories, and retail spaces all operate differently. However, many systems are set to:
- Start heating too early
- Run long after staff have left
- Heat areas that are rarely used
Aligning controller schedules with actual building use is one of the quickest ways to improve efficiency.
Thermostat Set Too High
Another common issue is thermostats being set unnecessarily high. In many cases, increasing the temperature above a comfortable level provides no real benefit – it just burns more fuel.
As a general guide: 15–18°C is usually sufficient for most commercial working environments
Higher temperatures rarely improve comfort but significantly increase running costs
Frost Protection Set Incorrectly
Frost protection is essential – but it’s often set too high.
We regularly see frost stats set well above what’s required, meaning buildings are effectively being heated overnight when they only need protection against freezing.
A typical frost protection setting should be around 4°C, unless specific site conditions require otherwise.
Thermostat Set Too High
✅ Do heating times match actual occupancy?
✅ Are thermostats set to realistic working temperatures?
✅ Is frost protection set correctly?
✅ Are unused areas heated unnecessarily?
Why Professional Controller Checks Save You Money
Heating controllers may look simple, but commercial systems are often more complex than they appear. Incorrect settings can go unnoticed for years without a professional inspection.
A professional controller check can:
- Optimise run times and temperature settings
- Reduce fuel consumption immediately
- Identify outdated or failing controls
- Improve overall system reliability
- Extend the lifespan of radiant heating, Warm air heating, Commercial boilers and plant equipment
For many businesses, the savings achieved from proper controller optimisation can more than pay for the service itself.
If you are in any way unsure of how to do this, Contact us for a service or call us on 0300 124 0114 and we will visit your workplace to ensure your manual and digital thermostats and controllers are as efficient as possible.
