How you choose to power your home or commercial building has a major impact on its energy efficiency and your energy bills.
For properties that require both gas and electric power, dual fuel energy tariffs can be a cost-effective and stress-free way to access the resources you need. To learn more, read on and take a look at the answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about dual fuel:
How Do Dual Fuel Radiators Work?
Dual fuel radiators can be powered be either your gas central heating system or via electricity. If you want to use electricity to power a radiator, it will need to be fitted with an electrical heating element and a T-piece.
You can purchase dual fuel radiators that already have an electrical heating element and T-piece fitted, which means they can be installed and used via electricity or gas central heating straight away. However, it’s also possible to convert a standard radiator into a dual fuel radiator, providing the appropriate electrical heating element and T-piece is fitted securely.
Not every radiator in a property needs to be dual fuel in order for the system to work. You may have one dual fuel towel rail and standard heaters, for example. Alternatively, some radiators in your property may be dual fuel, while others rely on power from the gas central heating system.
Many property owners find that dual fuel radiators help them to reduce energy consumption and save money. If you only need to heat one room, for example, powering a single radiator via electricity can be cheaper than turning on the entire gas central heating system.
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How Does a Dual Fuel Heating System Work?
A dual fuel heating system can be powered by more than one type of fuel. Usually, dual fuel heating systems in the UK are powered by either gas or electricity. If you have a dual fuel heating system installed in your property, it can be powered by a gas boiler or via electricity, which increases functionality and allows you more control over the system as a whole.
When using gas power to heat your home, you’ll need to ensure that the boiler is turned on and that the heating is set to ‘ON’ on your thermostat or heating controls. You can then adjust the temperature according to your requirements. If you have thermostatic valves installed on radiators, you’ll also be able to control the amount of heat produced by adjusting the valve.
Alternatively, you can use electricity to power dual fuel radiators or towel rails in your property too. Typically, this involves flicking a switch close to the radiator or towel rail, although the exact location of the power control will vary from one property to another.
How to Read a Dual Fuel Smart Meter?
Smart meters are an efficient way to monitor your energy usage. As well as keeping track of how much fuel you’re using, you can also use your Smart meter to check that your energy bills are accurate.
There are many different models of dual fuel smart meters and they’re all slightly different. Due to this, you should check your owner’s manual for specific instructions on how to read your meter.
In general, however, you can access the information you need by pressing the relevant buttons on your Smart meter. If your dual fuel Smart meter has a keypad, you can typically view your electricity reading by pressing ‘9’. This will show a long number, followed by ‘KWH’. To see your gas usage, you most keypads will display this information when you press ‘6’. You’ll see a long number, followed by ‘M3’.
However, if your Smart meter doesn’t have a keypad but has two or three buttons instead, look for a button that’s called ‘DISPLAY’. Press this repeatedly until the electricity and gas readings are shown on the screen. Some Smart meters don’t have a ‘DISPLAY’ button but may simply have ‘A’ and ‘B’ buttons. If so, press ‘A’ repeatedly until the relevant readings appear on the screen.
What Does Dual Fuel Mean?
The term ‘dual fuel’ means that a property is powered by more than one type of fuel. Some homes only have electric power, for example, which is ‘single fuel’. However, if your home uses gas and electricity, it is ‘dual fuel’.
People often used the term dual fuel to refer to the energy tariff they’re on. When you need both gas and electricity to power your home or commercial unit, it can be cheaper to access both resources from one provider. If you choose to do this, you’ll be using a dual fuel energy tariff.
What Is a Dual Fuel Cooker?
A dual fuel cooker uses two different fuels to provide cooking functionality. Most models incorporate a gas hob and electric oven, although this is dependent on the model you choose. Many people prefer using a dual fuel cooker to prepare meals as a gas hob is more responsive than an electric-powered hob, and easier to control. In contrast, the uniform heat generated in an electric oven provides more reliable cooking temperatures.
However, these aren’t the only benefits associated with dual fuel cookers. As well as offering better performance than single fuel ovens, dual fuel ovens are typically more energy-efficient and, therefore, cheaper to run.
What Is a Dual Fuel Tariff?
If you have both gas appliances and electricity in your home, you’ll need to pay for both types of fuel from an energy company. Although you can get your electricity and gas from different providers, this can be a more expensive way to access the resources you need. A dual fuel tariff is when you have a contract for gas and electric from one utility company.
Many companies offer discounts for customers who are looking for dual fuel supplies, so you can save a substantial amount by choosing a dual fuel tariff. However, dual fuel tariffs aren’t automatically cheaper than separate contracts or suppliers, so you’ll still need to do some research to ensure you’re getting the best service and lowest prices.
Another advantage of choosing a dual fuel tariff is that you’ll only be dealing with one energy supplier and receiving one bill. This reduces the amount of time you spend on household administration and makes it easier to manage your contracts.
What Is Dual Fuel?
Dual fuel simply means that you use more than one type of energy from the same provider. Although the term can be used to refer to any two fuels, it’s commonly used when referring to electricity and gas. If you have gas powered appliances in your home as well as electricity, and you use only one provider, then you are already using dual fuel!
Although your home or commercial property may be dual fuel, this doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be put on to a dual fuel tariff. Even if you get your gas and electricity from the same utility provider, you could be on separate tariffs. If you receive two bills – one for gas and one for electricity – you’re using two single fuel tariffs. However, switching to a dual fuel tariff – where you get one bill from one provider for both gas and electricity – could be a cheaper option.
What Is the Cheapest Dual Fuel Energy Provider?
There are many dual fuel energy providers in the UK and prices change frequently, so one isn’t always cheaper than the other. Similarly, utility companies have deals and discounts at different times, which can affect which one is cheapest. In addition to this, some energy providers offer fixed rates, which could mean that they’re cheaper than an alternative utility company for a limited time only. Due to this, it’s important to compare tariffs and energy companies regularly to ensure you’re getting the best deal.
If you’re on a fixed dual fuel tariff for 12 months, for example, the cost of gas and electricity won’t increase during this time (although your bills will vary depending on how much energy you use). After this fixed 12-month period ends, you may be automatically moved to a higher tariff. That’s why it’s important to start comparing providers and tariffs before your fixed tariff comes to an end.
Contacting your existing utility company is an easy way to see what deals they can offer you, but don’t hesitate to switch to a different provider if better offers are available. Comparison sites make it easy to see what different utility companies are offering, so finding the cheapest dual fuel energy provider can be easier than you think.
Is Dual Fuel Right for You?
If your property already has the infrastructure for gas and electricity power, you’ll probably want to retain dual fuel functionality. In some cases, property owners switch to dual fuel if they want to use both gas and electric appliances.
If you do have dual fuel in your property, then a dual fuel tariff is usually the cheapest way to access the energy you need. With discounts, fixed rates, and deals, you can streamline your admin and save money when you choose a dual fuel tariff from one, single provider.
