What we fit
The thermostat matters less than the wiring behind it
Most smart thermostats do broadly the same thing well. What decides whether yours works properly is whether it is wired correctly to your boiler, whether it can actually modulate the boiler rather than just switching it on and off, and where on the wall it ends up.
A thermostat above a radiator or in a draughty hallway will fight your heating all winter no matter which brand it is. That is the part we get right, and it is the part that gets skipped when a thermostat is fitted by someone who is not a heating engineer.
Brands we work with
- Hive, including multi zone setups and hot water control
- Google Nest, including the learning schedule and away detection
- Tado, Drayton Wiser and other common systems
- Manufacturer controls that pair with your specific boiler, which often work better than a third party unit
- Smart thermostatic radiator valves for room by room control
If you already own the unit, we will fit it. If you have not bought yet, tell us about your boiler and your house and we will tell you which one is actually worth the money for you.
Being honest about savings
A smart thermostat will not halve your bills, and anyone who says so is selling
What a smart thermostat genuinely does is stop you heating an empty house. If your heating currently runs on a timer that no longer matches your life, or gets left on constantly because the programmer is baffling, then yes, you will use less gas. If you already control your heating carefully, the saving is modest and the real benefit is convenience.
Where it does pay off
Irregular schedules, shift work, a house that is empty most of the day, or anyone who has given up on the beige box on the wall and just leaves the heating on.
Where it pays off less
A small flat with one heating zone, a disciplined timer and a household that is home at predictable times. Nice to have, but do not expect a transformation.
The free change first
Turning your boiler flow temperature down usually saves more than a smart thermostat does, and it costs nothing. We will do that while we are there and show you the setting.
Rented property
Smart controls in a let property, done sensibly
Smart thermostats in rentals can go two ways. Done well, they cut the tenant's bills, reduce condensation and damp complaints, and give you frost protection you can actually check remotely between tenancies.
Done badly, the account stays registered to a tenant who moved out two years ago, nobody can reset it, and you end up replacing the unit. We set up the account so it belongs to the property rather than to a person, and we leave written instructions in the property so the next tenant is not ringing you about the heating in week one.
Common questions
Smart heating questions we get asked
Will it work with my boiler?
Almost certainly. Nearly every mains gas boiler in a London home can take a smart thermostat, though some older systems need a small wiring change or an extra receiver. Tell us the make and model when you call and we will confirm before we come.
Can I control the hot water as well as the heating?
If you have a hot water cylinder, yes, and it is one of the more useful features. If you have a combi boiler, hot water is made on demand and there is nothing to schedule, so that feature does not apply to you.
Do I need internet for it to work?
You need wifi for the app and remote control. If your internet drops, the thermostat carries on running its last schedule, so the heating does not stop. Only the phone control goes away until the connection comes back.
Can you fit one I bought online?
Yes. Bring it out of the box before we arrive so we can check nothing is missing, and keep the packaging until it is working, in case it needs to go back.
Is it worth having smart radiator valves too?
In a house where some rooms are barely used, yes, they make a real difference. In a small flat where every room is used daily, ordinary thermostatic valves do nearly the same job for a fraction of the cost.
Thinking about a smart thermostat?
Tell us your boiler make and whether you have a hot water tank, and we will tell you what suits your setup and what it costs fitted.