UK homeowners see heating controls as a critical way to tackle energy cost concerns, according to new research from Resideo. The company said that this opens up opportunities for installers to add value and support their customers.
The survey investigated the energy attitudes of 1,000 homeowners and 100 installers in the UK. It revealed that 32% of consumers said they remain ‘very concerned’ about energy costs for the coming winter and 33% are also ‘less likely’ or ‘much less likely’ to switch heating on because of energy cost worries.
Over half of homeowners feel like they need more information or are unconfident about setting their heating controls correctly to get the best out of their system.
The research found that 68% homeowners want access to simple or easy to program controls.
A total of 92% of installers have had more customer questions about how to get the best out of their heating controls.
It also revealed that 41% of homeowners said they were likely to consider spending money on the latest heating controls such as thermostats and radiator valves if it meant they could save more money over the long run for their heating costs.
Nearly half of homeowners questioned said they are now more environmentally aware as a result of the recent energy crisis and price volatility. The survey found that 18% of homeowners said they are now ‘more likely’ to consider installing a heat pump than in previous years and 55% of heating professionals report an uptick in consumer interest.
The research revealed that 9% of homeowners admitted to never having checked that their heating controls are running effectively. This equates to 2.5 million homeowners across the country, Resideo noted.
Martin Wilson, regional director – North EMEA at Resideo, said: “It is clear is that energy bills and how to reduce them as much as possible remains front of mind with many UK homeowners, and it’s driving some fundamental behavioural change such as being more environmentally aware. Installers have a key role to play in providing the solutions to the challenges their customers are facing. They are on the heating control front line and can proactively provide guidance, recommending the most suitable heating controls and advising on how to optimise their energy management.”