IT’S no secret that old boilers burn money; in fact, a boiler of 15 years old or more may only be 60 per cent efficient, wasting as much as 40p of every pound you spend on heating and hot water.

Replacing it with an A-rated condensing boiler could make your heating system 90 per cent efficient – that’s quite a jump. But while this upgrade can clearly make such a difference to how well your home’s heating (and hot water system) works, it isn’t a cheap option. So if you don’t have the spare funds, how else can you get more from your radiators?

If the radiators aren’t as powerful as you’d like, the first thing to do is bleed them. Radiators containing trapped air are hot at the bottom but cold further up, so they’re not giving off as much heat as they could. Bleeding them is easy – simply put a radiator key or small screwdriver (depending on the type of hole) into the bleed valve on the radiator and open the valve to let out the air. This basic measure will really improve how hot the radiator gets.

Another reason a radiator might be inadequate is if it’s not powerful enough for the room, or you need more than one. Radiator output is measured in BTUs (British thermal units) and to work out the btus required to heat a room, ask a plumber or use an online BTU calculator.

The position of the radiators can also affect how well they work. You don’t, for example, want a radiator heating the back of a sofa, rather than the room. If you can’t move the sofa, perhaps due to space constraints, it’s a good idea to move the radiator or swap a horizontal radiator for a vertical one, which will take up less space at sofa level.

Replacing old radiators may be something you want to do anyway. Modern radiators tend to be smaller but with the same, or a greater, output than your old ones, thanks to improved radiator technology and materials.

Old heating systems often lack adequate controls, such as adjustable radiator valves, so you can’t turn down the radiators in rooms where you don’t need them on full power, or on at all.

You’ll need the right controls for the boiler too, as the wrong ones can considerably diminish its performance and efficiency. And with a new boiler especially, that’s the last thing you need.

Products of the week

A NEW boiler is a big investment and you’ll want to be sure it’s money well-spent. Not only do the boilers made by Worcester Bosch Group (worcester- bosch.co.uk) have a great reputation, they also currently have a fantastic five-year guarantee.

If your household uses lots of hot water, Worcester’s A-rated Greenstar i System Compact boilers (usually bought through your installer), teamed with Worcester Greenstore mains-pressure unvented cylinders (for storing hot water) are an unbeatable combination.

With these cylinders, multiple bathrooms can be supplied simultaneously.

The cylinders, which are guaranteed for an impressive 25 years, are really well insulated and come in different sizes to suit different households.

There’s no water tank taking up space in the loft and you’re never likely to run out of hot water, so it’s similar to having a combi boiler... only much better.

To get the best out of the high-efficiency boiler and cylinder, use the DT20RF Digital RF thermostat.

This clever piece of kit lets you set three separate time periods for both your central heating and hot water each day. You can even choose your target room temperature, so you’re always comfortable.

The DT20RF also has a holiday function to suspend your normal heating and hot water times when you’re away and then resume them when you get back, ideal now we’re coming into holiday season.

How to...

WHEN adding radiators or fitting more powerful ones, check the capacity of the boiler.

If the boiler’s modern, you probably won’t have a problem, but ask a heating engineer if in any doubt.