Why are condensing combi-boilers a priority?

With the clocks set to go back this month, many households may also be keen to turn back the amount of energy they consume so that it is at the same level as during the summer months.

However, with the cold weather setting in and the evenings growing darker, many households may feel they have no choice but to turn up their central heating, switch on all their radiators and watch their gas bills increase as a result.

But staying warm does not have to mean spending more money, particularly as there are so many products now on the market designed to allow Britons to get the most out of their central heating, while also reducing their impact on the environment, without breaking the bank.

Indeed, a recent article in the Daily Mail claims that with energy bills set to increase further over the coming months and years, there may never have been a better time to modernise central heating systems.

The article claims that it is now "all the more important to find ways to save energy", but this does not mean going to bed wrapped up in a woolly hat, jumper and scarf.

Instead, the newspaper notes that taking simple steps such as improving the efficiency of a central heating system, topping up insulation and reducing fuel consumption, households could find they save £300 a year on their utilities.

And there may be something people can do no matter what their budgets. If money is tight, simply taking the time to ensure that all a property's radiators have been bled to remove any trapped air could make them more efficient.

Meanwhile, placing a reflective panel or a simple sheet of aluminium foil behind radiators, no matter what their size or design, can reflect the heat the appliances produce back around the room, rather than allowing it to be absorbed through walls or lost through windows.

Heating controls can also be fitted to central heating systems to allow households to gain more control over when they want radiators to come on and in what rooms, to ensure that spaces which are typically unoccupied - such as bedrooms during the day and the kitchen and living room at night - are not unnecessarily heated.

"An energy-efficient heating system is a sound investment, if your budget is bigger. A condensing boiler will save you 1.7 tonnes of carbon dioxide and £200 a year. Prices start at £400 for a combi condensing boiler," the Daily Mail goes on to note.

At this price, Britons could find that they see a return on their investment through the money they save on energy bills within two years.

Meanwhile, insulating a water tank and any pipes which run between this and the boiler could shave an additional £45 off annual energy bills.

There are a number of condensing boilers currently on the market, by manufacturers such as Baxi, Worcester, Potterton and Biasi.

According to the Baxi EnergyHub - a site run by the boiler manufacturer which offers green advice - "if everyone in the UK with gas central heating installed an energy efficient condensing boiler, we would save enough energy to heat 3.4 million homes for a whole year and save around 13 million tonnes of carbon dioxide".

This, teamed with the Daily Mail's advice, may be enough to prompt Britons to realise it is time to give their central heating a green makeover by adding a condensing boiler.

And such action could see them enjoying lower utility bills sooner, rather than later.