The price of energy has been a major issue in recent years, with the Russian invasion of Ukraine causing a huge cost surge. While much has been done to adjust to changing circumstances (including the reopening of Centrica’s Rough Storage facility), the higher cost of gas has certainly hit consumers hard.
For that reason, there has been plenty of concern not just at the basic cost per unit, but also the efficiency of home energy. Having a gas boiler that works efficiently and therefore keeps bills down has never been more important.
This is something people should take note of right now, because it would be easy to be complacent – and not just because the recent high temperatures have made April feel like midsummer.
Energy Price Cap Tipped To Fall Sharply
In a move that will undoubtedly be welcomed by consumers, energy sector analyst firm Cornwall Insight has predicted that when the next Energy Price Cap is announced, it will see the typical household energy bill drop by the equivalent of £166 a year, starting in July. This represents a nine per cent fall in costs.
A combination of warm weather and cheaper energy means bills should be low this summer, but it would be wrong to get complacent.
Firstly, Cornwall Insight attributes the expected fall in the Energy Price Cap to the downward effect on the global economy – and therefore world gas prices – of President Trump’s tariffs.
However, there have already been signs of this policy unravelling as the stock and bond markets nosedived in the US, with the likelihood of product shortages and higher prices for American consumers to come, placing further pressure to abandon the measures.
Why Gas Cost Falls May Not Last Long
This means that while the lower gas prices are based on reduced demand due to an economic downturn, the expected greater impact on the US economy could soon force a U-turn, meaning the imposition of tariffs will be much more limited and the damage to the global economy much reduced. Therefore, gas prices could soon rise.
More straightforwardly (since it is one of the few things that does not depend on the whims of Donald Trump), the warmth of summer will give way in time to the chills of autumn and winter. Moreover, even if your boiler worked well last winter, it will be a year older.
It may be that your boiler is not very old, but if it has a few years on the clock, this summer is the best time to get it serviced.
Why Summer Is The Time For A Service
There are several factors that make the summer the ideal time to get your boiler serviced. Firstly, unlike in the winter when engineers are very busy with emergency call-outs from shivering customers, finding a mutually convenient time when they are free and available is much easier.
Another reason is based on cost. You will be able to save money through a service that helps fix any minor problems rather than overhauling a boiler where a lot has gone wrong to the point where it has stopped working.
Furthermore, it means you can enjoy the advantage of getting problems with your boiler sorted out when you use it least and ensuring that it is in tip-top condition when the colder seasons of the year roll around again.
That way, the risk of you suffering the nightmare of a breakdown on a freezing cold day or, even worse, when you have just put the Christmas turkey in the oven, can be avoided.
Also, because it is more efficient, you can enjoy the reduced energy bills that result straight away, but more so when it is busy on cold days.
All of these factors will make now and the next few months a good time to book a boiler service. It also means that you can look forward to a highly efficient device that keeps your energy bills down, even if changing global circumstances start sending the Energy Price Cap spiralling upwards again.
Make Boilers Great Again
In a world where wars, natural disasters, cold or mild winters, dramatic economic policy changes and so much else can swing energy costs one way or another, it can be easy to feel helpless, as if all you can do is hope for the best and prepare as best you can for the financial impact of the worst. But that is far from the whole story.
By getting your boiler serviced in the next two or three months, you can take more control of your own situation to keep bills down and ensure you have a reliable boiler when you need it most, six months from now and beyond.
Gas prices may fluctuate and economies suffer uncertainty as Mr Trump flip-flops on tariffs, but with a summer service, you can be absolutely sure of the benefits as you make your boiler great again.