Smart heating reduces energy bills for the few not the many

Only eight percent of UK adults use complete smart home systems for their heating, but they have already seen the benefits of doing so.

• 47% have improved their comfort at home
• 46% have reduced their heating costs
• 23% have improved their wellbeing
• 19% have been able to reduce mould in their home

Despite the clear benefits of either using smart systems or smart thermostats, the majority of participants are still not planning to make the switch to smart heating (86%). The top 3 barriers cited for this include:

1. High costs for product and installation
2. Not being sure if the investment is worthwhile
3. Not having the appropriate equipment or compatible radiators or they are missing necessary IT equipment

Being unsure about investment and not knowing how to install smart heating solutions are particular problems amongst the over 55s, highlighting that the older generations don’t have the right information to be able to make informed decisions about their heating. This could be cause for concern as they are an age group dealing with high energy costs and at risk of the cold the most.

Living in rented accommodation is one of the biggest barriers for 18-24 year olds, as they are unable to make the necessary changes/decisions for smart home installation. 23% would like to see more investment from landlords into smart heating solutions.

The top factor that would persuade Brits to invest in smart heating is if they knew heating costs could be reduced (60% said this). This is an important factor for all age groups.  A secondary factor is improved comfort – being able to control heating from a distance for example (22%), which is priority for 18-24 year olds. Interestingly, this research shows these are the top two benefits experienced by those currently using smart systems, demonstrating there is a clear gap in knowledge and understanding of the benefits in reality of switching to these systems.

"The reasons preventing Britons from switching to intelligent heating systems reveal that there is still a lot of education about smart heating solutions needed," commented Thomas Kruse, Product Manager for smart home technology at reichelt. "With intelligent heating thermostats, for example, homemakers can improve their wellbeing and comfort without permanent intervention in the heating system and they can easily be exchanged when they are removed, offering a simpler solution that avoids serious installation. Starter kits are already available from about £90, but can save up to 30% of the heating costs."

It was also shown that 37% of Brits would like to see further promotion and investment from the government into smarter heating solutions.