Darren Bagnall of Flat Living Insurance discusses the heating system in your block of flats and how to be as energy efficient as possible.

With winter on the way and the temperature dropping rapidly, it’s more important than ever to make sure your block has a functioning and reliable heating system. After all, there’s no worse time to have broken heating than when it’s freezing outside!

Communal heating regulations are part of a government incentive to make residential blocks more energy efficient and ensure energy meters are fitted in blocks of flats. These regulations apply to the ‘Heat Supplier’ of the building. This basically refers to the landlord supplying the communal heating system and charging the cost to their tenants.

What is a Communal Heating System?

A communal heating system distributes heat across your block from one central heating source. The advantage to this is that it offers both the landlord and tenant more control over their heat usage, as well as providing landlords with more accurate heating bills. Communal heating systems have different types of heating installations, such as:

• Gas
• Electric
• Multi-point heaters
• Underfloor heating

There are certain requirements to be fulfilled before a block can have a communal heating system installed:

• The National Measurement and Regulation Office must be informed of your intention to use a communal heating system for your block.
• If separate meters are installed for each flat, tenants should have controls so that they can keep on top of their heat usage, although only if this is appropriate and cost-effective.
• If your block does not have separate meters, you should consider thermostatic radiator valves.
• Bills must be accurate for heating and hot water usage.

Electric or Gas Heating For Your Block: Which is More Energy Efficient?

In the last decade, electric heating systems have become the most popular way of heating blocks and are frequently used in new builds or renovations. This is largely due to the tough regulations placed on gas heating systems, which can be very expensive to install and operate. 

As well as requiring annual maintenance services, gas heating is also far less energy efficient than electric heating; as gas supplies across the UK are not as secure as in previous years due to the UK gas imports being higher than production levels.Electric heating, on the other hand, is far cheaper to buy and install, as well as being far easier to maintain.

Insulation for Your Block

When thinking about the efficiency of your communal heating, it’s essential to ensure the proper insulation of your building. After all, there’s not much point in having a well-working heating system in place if the heat can easily escape through walls and windows. 

There are multiple types of insulation for your block, such as:

Cavity Wall Insulation

Some buildings may lose heat through having uninsulated walls. This is usually due to a small gap between the inner and outer wall, which can be filled using cavity wall insulation. To check whether your building is eligible, you can request an inspection to be carried out by your local insulation company.

Loft Insulation

For flats with loft spaces, loft insulation may be an option to reduce heat waste. Insulation is placed over the loft floor, preventing the heat from your property rising and escaping through the loft.

Draught Insulation

Often, a vast amount of heat can be lost through windows and doors which are not properly sealed. Draught proofing your block will help to prevent heat waste using foam, sealants and rubber to stop draughts.

Check That Your Heating is Functioning Properly

It’s important to maintain the heating system in your block so that, during the colder months, you don’t have to worry about any heat failures. Regular checks will help you to keep on top of this and give you peace of mind that your block will be fine throughout the winter. 

You can see if your heating is working efficiently by turning all your thermostats up to the maximum volume; this will give you an accurate idea of whether your heating is at full capacity. You should also have an annual boiler and gas safety to check to make sure everything is running smoothly.