Martyn Raine is the Technical Skills Manager at SNIPEF, the trade association for plumbing and heating professionals in Scotland and Northern Ireland

“GO and put another jumper on” is something I heard as a child; but is it something this generation will hear?

We all deserve the right to be warm; building regulations even focus on having suitable heating systems in dwellings to meet a reasonable standard, but can we afford to run these systems now and how can we be sure they operate as efficiently as possible?

Different building types have different options available to make them more efficient, with some being relatively easy and others being more challenging.

The first approach to efficiency should always be focused on the building fabric, where we look at the current building and evaluate where we may be losing heat and what we can do to reduce that loss.

Easy solutions include introducing insulation to your loft. Having the loft insulated will reduce heat loss through the ceilings of the building and stop cold temperatures striking down.

From a plumbing and heating perspective we could look at how we heat our buildings and use the systems that generate the heat.

A "quick win" includes insulating our plumbing systems, though accessing pipework may prove challenging. Insulating pipework in easy-to-access unheated voids such as under timber floors and in roof spaces would be a good way to reduce heat loss.

Suitable controls are essential for optimum efficiency of heating systems. Checking to see where your existing heating controls are set is simple. Look at the times you have set, and if the heating and hot water are operating at times when you are out, make the required changes.

Modern heating systems are required to have suitable controls to ensure optimum efficiency. For example, a new boiler and heating system or a boiler upgrade must have independent time and temperature control for both the hot water and the central heating.

The use of thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) also allows more localised control in rooms. TRVs are radiator valves that operate to the temperature in the area they are located; if the area reaches the set temperature it effectively shuts down the radiator, if the area cools, the TRV will allow heat into the radiator.

Hot water storage is another area worth reviewing. If you have an airing cupboard with a hot water vessel, you can check the thermostat attached to the vessel. Hot water thermostats are usually set at 60 degrees Celsius. Lowering the thermostat, however, can activate safety issues. The water in the vessel must be heated to 60-C to kill off any harmful bacteria such as Legionella.

There are also renewable energy solutions, for example, solar thermal hot water. This is the use of a solar panel to heat some or all your domestic water. You could also consider a heat pump, that uses energy from the ground or air to heat the home.

You would be well served by asking the advice of a SNIPEF member who provides heating services on any of the topics mentioned above.