The UK wants to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. So, the government is thinking of stopping gas boilers by 2025. What does this mean for you? Will the government stop all types of boilers? And what other ways can you heat your home without gas? Actually, instead of a complete ban, the government is phasing out boiler technology. As a first step, it has banned all non-condensing boilers. Secondly, the government hasn’t yet disclosed its plan for condensing boilers. So still there’s much more time to reap the benefits of modern condensing boilers.
This plan comes at a hefty price. A price that homeowners will have to bear themselves. A price many may not be able to pay. To tackle this hurdle, the government collaborated with energy providers and manufacturers and came up with free boiler replacement grant. Net zero carbon emissions goal set by the government, to be achieved in collaboration with all segments of the society. can help you do so. This aid aims at reducing your carbon footprint and saving money on heating costs.
Gas boilers seem to be the first ones to leave the heating world. Why? Read on to find out.
We need to stop using gas boilers because they create a lot of pollution. In the past, only a few homes had central heating, but now almost everyone does. So most of these homes use gas or oil to heat their houses. Moreover, these fuels release carbon dioxide, which causes climate change. Consequently, heating homes this way makes up about 30% of the pollution. Furthermore, half of this pollution comes from heating homes. It’s not just a problem in the UK. Many countries around the world rely on gas for heating. In some places, it’s a major energy source. In other countries, people use biofuels and waste to heat their homes instead.
A gas boiler ban can help a lot. We can reduce pollution by using other ways to heat our homes and travel. In the UK, it’s the law that we have to stop making pollution by 2050. Moreover, we can do this by switching from petrol and diesel cars to electric ones. And instead of using gas or oil boilers, we can use things like electric storage heaters and air-source heat pumps. As a result, we can reduce pollution.
Will the gas boiler ban be effective in the UK?
Most likely, especially for new homes. Although it’s not a law yet, parliament is discussing it. Also, the government time and again asks people for their opinions on new housing rules. So, the ban will be only for new homes at first. In addition, there are about 25 million homes in the UK, and we make around 160,000 new ones every year. So, it might take a long time before this ban really helps with pollution. Moreover, some people think the government should do more, faster.
Well, there are a few options already available. In some places, natural resources like hot water springs are used for heating. Next, there’s the option of district heating available. It’s when a whole area gets hot water from one central place, like a geothermal plant. Iceland uses this lot. Plus, the government is spreading it to other places too.
Electric heating is also an alternative. There are simple ones like bar fires or portable heaters. Or more complex systems like storage heaters and heat pumps. So electric heaters work by heating up something, like the air or water. Moreover, they’re very efficient but can be expensive to run.
Heat pumps, on the other hand, work differently. They move heat from outside into your home. There are two types: air-source heat pumps and ground-source heat pumps. Furthermore, they use less power so they’re more efficient than electric heaters.
Well, it’s all about using cleaner sources of heat and using less energy. As a result, houses are getting better at saving energy. They have things like double-glazed windows and better insulation. But the homes of the future will be even smarter. So one thing they’re focusing on is ventilation. This is important to keep the air fresh in our homes. But opening windows lets out the heat. So, there are new systems like HVAC that help keep the air clean without losing heat.
Similarly, mechanical heat-recovery ventilation (MHRV) is also useful. It takes heat from the old air and uses it to warm up the new air coming in. Consequently, this can save a lot of energy. Moreover, some homes are built to super high standards, like Passivhaus. They use very little energy for heating. In fact, some of these homes hardly need any extra heating at all because they keep heat in so well.
In conclusion, the way we heat homes in the UK is changing a lot. So soon, there will be a ban on gas boilers. This ban, along with using cleaner heating systems and smarter technology, is really important. It helps us make less pollution and use energy better. We’re focusing on things like better ventilation and super-efficient homes. As we go ahead, it’s really important to accept these changes and keep finding new ways to heat our homes without hurting the environment.
