Smart Controls
Modern smart thermostats and zoned heating control systems installed across Bristol, Bath, and the surrounding areas. Improve comfort, reduce energy waste, and take complete control of your heating from anywhere — when the controls are properly configured for your system.
App-based control — set schedules and temperatures room by room
A Vaillant smart control, installed and commissioned by Splix
A traditional room thermostat works on a simple on/off relay. When the room drops below the set temperature, the thermostat sends a signal to the boiler to fire at maximum output. Once the temperature is reached, it switches the boiler off completely. The result is a cycle of full heat output, rapid temperature rise, boiler shutdown, and then restart — continuous stop-starting that uses more gas than necessary and puts repeated stress on boiler components.
Smart thermostats work differently. Using sensors, occupancy detection, learning algorithms, and in many cases internet connectivity, they continuously monitor heating demand and adjust system operation in real time. Rather than switching the boiler fully on or off, compatible systems can actively tell the boiler exactly what output is needed at any given moment. The result is more stable room temperatures, less wasted energy, and a boiler that runs more smoothly.
OpenTherm is a digital communication protocol that allows a smart thermostat and a compatible boiler to talk to each other continuously, rather than using a basic on/off signal.
With a traditional thermostat, the message to the boiler is binary: heat required, or heat not required. With OpenTherm, the thermostat can tell the boiler precisely how much heat is needed — for example, run at 30% output, or 55% output. The boiler modulates its burner accordingly and runs steadily at a lower, more efficient level rather than constantly switching between maximum output and off.
This matters because condensing boilers are at their most efficient when running at lower flow temperatures and steady output. OpenTherm keeps the boiler in this efficient operating range for longer periods, reducing gas consumption and decreasing wear on ignition components. It is only effective, however, when wired and commissioned correctly — which is where proper installation makes a real difference.
These are two different approaches to making heating more intelligent — and the most capable systems use both together.
Weather compensation uses an external outdoor temperature sensor to adjust boiler flow temperature automatically based on how cold it is outside. On a mild day, the boiler might run at a lower flow temperature; on a cold day, it increases accordingly. This proactive approach means the system is responding to weather before the building loses heat — rather than reacting after the room has already cooled down. Many boilers are configured to run at unnecessarily high temperatures year-round; weather compensation corrects this continuously.
Load compensation works differently: it measures the gap between the current indoor temperature and the target, and adjusts boiler output to match the actual heat demand in the room. As the room approaches the set temperature, the boiler modulates down rather than blasting heat until the thermostat cuts it off.
Combined, these two technologies allow a heating system to run more consistently, more efficiently, and with far less unnecessary cycling.
Zoned heating control allows different areas of your property to be heated independently — for example, upstairs and downstairs on separate schedules, or individual rooms with their own smart radiator valves. This avoids heating unused spaces and allows you to tailor temperatures to how you actually use the property.
Systems like tado — which we install and commission — support multi-room control through individual smart radiator thermostats managed from a single app. Each room can have its own schedule, set temperature, and occupancy-based adjustments.
tado smart radiator valves, thermostat and internet bridge
UK Building Regulations require that new combi boiler installations include an additional energy-saving measure beyond a basic room thermostat. Correctly specified controls — such as an OpenTherm-compatible smart thermostat with weather or load compensation functionality — can form part of that compliance route. We specify controls that meet current requirements and commission them correctly as part of every installation.
Smart controls only deliver their benefits when they are correctly configured for your specific boiler or heat pump. OpenTherm connections require the right wiring and commissioning; weather compensation curves need to be calibrated to your system; multi-zone setups need to be balanced and tested. Installing the hardware is only part of the job.
We install and commission smart heating controls across Bristol, Bath, and the surrounding area — and take the time to walk you through how to get the most from the system. If controls were previously installed incorrectly or are underperforming, we can also assess and reconfigure existing setups.
OpenTherm is a communication standard supported by many modern condensing boilers and a growing range of smart thermostats. If your boiler has an OpenTherm terminal (often labelled OT or BUS), it is compatible. We check boiler compatibility during the survey and specify a control system that works correctly with your appliance — not just one that will physically connect to it.
The answer depends on how you currently heat your home and how well your existing controls are configured. If your boiler runs at higher temperatures than necessary, short-cycles frequently, or you heat rooms you are not using, then correctly specified and commissioned smart controls can make a noticeable difference to gas consumption. We give honest advice on what to expect for your specific setup rather than quoting generic savings figures.
Yes — this is one of the main advantages of zoned smart heating control. Systems with smart radiator thermostats (such as tado) allow you to set different temperatures and schedules for individual rooms, managed through a single app. This is particularly useful if some rooms are used regularly and others are not, or if different members of the household prefer different temperatures.
Yes — every smart control system we install comes with an app that lets you adjust temperature, change schedules, and turn heating on or off from anywhere with an internet connection. This is useful for warming the house before you arrive home, turning heating off if you forget while away, or checking in on a rental property remotely.
