Smart Thermostat Installation

Fitting new TRVs on existing radiators is part of this service. New radiators come with new valves through our radiator installation and replacement service.

Most do, but it is worth checking before you buy. We look at:

• Your boiler type: A combi heats water on demand, so the thermostat controls heating only. A system or regular boiler with a hot water cylinder needs a control that also schedules hot water, and the wiring is different.
• How the boiler is controlled: Most thermostats switch the boiler on and off. Some boilers support OpenTherm or the manufacturer's own protocol, which lets a compatible thermostat turn the boiler up or down instead, so it runs cooler and more efficiently.
• Existing wiring: Whether there is a wired thermostat, a wireless receiver or a wiring centre, and where the controls can sit.
• Wi-Fi: The hub needs a reliable connection to your router.
• Heat pumps and underfloor heating: These need controls designed for them. Underfloor heating zones are covered by our underfloor heating installation service.

There is no single best model. People often search for Hive installation or Nest thermostat installation, and tado is another common choice. The right one depends on what you need:

• Hot water control, if you have a cylinder.
• Room-by-room control with smart TRVs, if some rooms are used far less than others.
• Boiler modulation (OpenTherm) and weather compensation, for efficiency.
• Multiple zones, if your home already has them.
• Ease of use, including manual control on the wall if the internet goes down.

Tell us your boiler model and how you use your home, and we will explain which options suit it. You can buy the thermostat yourself, or we can supply it.

• Zoning: Splitting the house into areas with their own thermostat and a motorised zone valve, so bedrooms can be cooler than living rooms. Adding zones to an existing system means new valves and wiring, so it is often done as part of a central heating system installation.
• Smart TRVs: A lower-cost way to control rooms separately, without new pipework. They work best with a smart thermostat that can call for heat when a room needs it.
• Weather compensation: An outdoor sensor lets the boiler lower its water temperature in mild weather, so it runs more efficiently. Load compensation does something similar, based on how close the room is to its set temperature.

In England, a new gas boiler must have time and temperature controls. A new combi boiler also needs one extra energy-saving measure, such as weather or load compensation, a smart thermostat with automation and optimisation, or flue gas heat recovery. If you are getting a new boiler through our boiler replacement or boiler installation service, the controls are chosen and fitted at the same time.

Some smart thermostats are sold for DIY fitting, and a battery thermostat replacing a wireless one can be straightforward. Wiring a new receiver at the boiler or into a wiring centre is different: it is mains-voltage electrical work, and a mistake can leave the heating not working or unsafe. Our installations are wired and certified through one of the routes the building regulations allow. On some boilers the connections are inside the casing, and any work that affects the gas appliance is carried out by Gas Safe registered engineers, as the law requires. For new circuits or wider electrical work, see our domestic electrical installation service.

It can, but it depends on how you heat your home now. The savings come from features: schedules that match when you are in, turning the heating down when everyone is out, learning how long the house takes to warm up, and heating only the rooms in use. If you already run a careful schedule, a smart thermostat will mostly add convenience. A control that lowers the boiler's water temperature, through OpenTherm or weather compensation, helps a condensing boiler run more efficiently.