If you've noticed every boiler quote you get includes "programmable heating controls", it's not upselling, it's the law. Boiler Plus is a set of Building Regulations that's applied to combi boiler replacements in England since April 2018, and it's worth understanding what it actually requires.
What Boiler Plus requires
Every new combi boiler installed in an existing home in England must meet a minimum efficiency of 92%, and the installer must also fit at least one of these additional measures:
- A flue gas heat recovery system
- Weather compensation, adjusting output based on the outside temperature
- Load compensation, adjusting output based on how close the room is to its target temperature
- A smart thermostat with automation and optimisation features
Flue gas heat recovery
Recovers extra heat from the flue gases before they're lost, boosting efficiency.
Weather compensation
Adjusts the boiler's output automatically based on the outside temperature.
Load compensation
Adjusts output based on how close the room is to its target temperature.
Smart thermostat
Automation and optimisation features. The option most installers, us included, fit.
Most commonMost installers, us included, satisfy this through the fourth option, since it's the most practical for the widest range of homes and gives you a genuinely useful upgrade rather than a box-ticking exercise.
What this means for your installation
Every boiler we fit, on every package, includes programmable heating controls that meet the Boiler Plus requirement as standard, so this isn't something you need to think about or pay extra for. If you'd like to go further with a full smart thermostat, connected to an app on your phone, that's an optional add-on in our instant quote tool. See our guide on smart thermostats and OpenTherm for what the upgrade actually gets you.
Does this apply to you?
Boiler Plus applies to combi boiler installations in existing homes in England. It doesn't apply in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, which have their own building standards, and new-build homes are covered separately under different regulations. If you're not sure whether it applies to your job, we'll confirm it as part of your fixed quote. Get your instant boiler quote.
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