Seven ways to cut heating bills without replacing your boiler

Drop your boiler's flow temperature. Most combis leave the factory at 75–80°C when a well-insulated home runs comfortably at 55–60°C, and condensing boilers are meaningfully more efficient at the lower setting.

Fit thermostatic radiator valves and actually set them. Rooms you rarely use do not need to be the same temperature as the living room.

Balance the system. If the nearest radiator roasts while the furthest never warms up, the flow is unbalanced and your boiler runs longer than it needs to.

Insulate exposed pipework in lofts, garages and underfloor voids. Pipe lagging costs a few pounds per metre and pays for itself in one winter.

Service the boiler annually. A blocked heat exchanger or drifting gas pressure quietly adds to every bill until someone measures it.

Use the timer rather than boosting. Heating a home twice a day on a schedule costs less than repeatedly firing from cold.

Add a magnetic filter. It keeps the sludge that causes cold spots out of the heat exchanger, protecting both efficiency and the warranty.