Domestic water heating
Households may need to heat water to produce hot water for both domestic and heating purposes. There are various ways to heat the water. The less fuel used to do this generally means that the costs to the householder are reduced.
The main methods for heating water are to have an electric boiler or a gas boiler. There are other options for heating water. They may not meet the needs for the householder in the way that gas or electric boilers do, but they can reduce the overall cost of producing hot water when used in conjunction with a gas or electric boiler.
Ground source heat pumps. These pumps use heat stored in the ground to heat water.
Air source heat pumps. These pumps use heat stored in the air for space heating and water heating
Solar photovoltaics The energy within sunlight is converted by solar panels into electricity.
Solar thermal The energy within sunlight heats water within a collector plate
Boilers
Gas boilers and oil boilers Part L1 of the Building Regulations specify that any new or replacement gas boiler or oil boiler should be a condensing boiler. Condensing boilers are more efficient than ordinary boilers. They convert over 80% of the fuel into useful heat, compared to 60% by the older boiler types. No one has to change their older boilers but if they did want t o change then the they must obtain a condensing boiler.
Electric boiler