PHAM NEWS | JULY/AUGUST 2026 26 HeatingControls


Calling time on outdated technology


Heating controls are shifting from standalone timers to connected, whole-home electric systems, driven by smarter technology and changing lifestyles, explains Dimplex’s Yulia Gilligham.


T


he humble thermostat has come a long way and, for installers, keeping pace with controls technology


is becoming part of the job - not only because the products have changed, but because customer expectations have too. Increasingly, this is about connecting and controlling both electric space and hot water heating into one easy-to- manage system. Homeowners who once


accepted a fi xed schedule as ‘good enough’ are now asking more questions about energy use, running costs and carbon emissions. Some already use smart technology elsewhere in the home and want their heating to be just as intelligent, while others are simply paying closer attention to every penny spent on energy. In short, controls are no longer


something to tick off at the end of an installation and they have become central to how an electric heating system is specifi ed, handed over and used.


New viewpoint Traditional heating controls were built around the simple idea of setting the times and the temperature, then leaving the system to get on with it.


That approach made sense when energy was cheaper and household routines were more predictable, but today, neither of those assumptions can be taken for granted. Household routines are now


Yulia Gilligham Head of marketing at Dimplex UK


CUT TO THE CHASE


 Homeowner expectations now include smarter, connected heating systems


 Energy costs, usage and carbon impact increasingly drive decisions


 Flexible working makes fi xed heating schedules less effective


 Time-of-use tariffs reward smarter, responsive energy consumption


 Smart systems can learn usage patterns and adjust automatically


 Electric heating now integrates storage heaters, radiators and heat pumps


 Apps unify heating and hot water into one system


far more varied thanks to fl exible and remote working, as well as shift patterns, which means the old 7am-9am and 5pm-10pm programmes no longer refl ect how many people actually use their homes. As such, running a system to a fi xed timetable can mean heating empty rooms and hoping the day goes to plan. At the same time, time-of-use


electricity tariff s mean the cost of energy can change during the day. If a system cannot respond to opportunities to access cheaper energy, it misses the chance to reduce costs.


Working smarter This is where smart electric heating systems and controls can make a real diff erence, turning that need for fl exibility into something the system can help manage. The best solutions don’t simply follow a default programme. When the right technology is in place, units can learn how a home is used, take weather conditions into account and adjust accordingly, often without the occupant needing to think about it. Dimplex has built its smart


Quantum HHR storage heaters can use adaptive controls to monitor real-time temperatures and adjust automatically


whole-home electric-heating off ering around products that already include intelligent controls in their own right. For example, Quantum HHR storage heaters can use adaptive controls to monitor real-time temperatures and adjust automatically. They charge using electricity during off -peak periods – when tariff s are lower and the grid is typically cleaner – then release the stored heat gradually throughout the day. Other solutions include electric radiators, which give occupants responsive room-by-room control, while the Dimplex Edel hot water heat pumps can also


be integrated to bring the same focus on effi cient, controllable performance to domestic hot water. The Dimplex Hub and


Dimplex Control app then add the connected layer, bringing compatible products together so they are not treated as separate units but as part of a single whole-home solution. Occupants can gain a clearer view of their system, including energy use and performance, from their smartphone, making it easy to respond when plans change, while automated scheduling takes care of the everyday routine.


Decarbonisation tool The benefi ts of that intelligence are not limited to convenience, as heating accounts for a signifi cant share of the UK’s energy demand, so there’s also a wider reason to make the shift to smarter controls. As the UK continues to move towards lower-carbon homes, upgrading heat sources and pairing them with effi cient electric heating solutions, while considering when energy is used, will be increasingly important. Units that can shift


consumption into off -peak periods can help reduce demand at the busiest times and make better use of cleaner energy generation. For installers who are increasingly asked about sustainability, this is a useful message to discuss with customers. The right unit and controls can make a heating system easier to live with while also helping it work more effi ciently for the grid and the environment.


In practice When space heating and hot water can be viewed and managed through one connected platform, handover becomes simpler because installers can demonstrate how the whole system works together rather than explaining each product in isolation. When a system


Customer expectations are shifting, with homeowners demanding greater control, fl exibility and visibility over their heating systems


and hot water system can work together as one joined- up solution in the home. To support installers with this, Dimplex provides free technical training, product guides and system design advice through its nationwide training centres and the Dimplex PRO Installer Club, helping them maintain on-site standards and keep pace with changing requirements. As connected electric


heating continues to evolve, installers who can bring the right technologies and controls together will be well placed to deliver the comfort and effi ciency customers now expect. ◼ phamnews.co.uk/726/61


is genuinely intuitive, there are fewer follow-up questions and fewer call-backs, which matters commercially as well as practically. Those who stay ahead of


the changing market will naturally be better placed to guide customers and add value. Increasingly, this means looking beyond individual products and considering how a fully connected electric heating


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