Mr Pschierer-Barnfather agrees, adding that he feels 'lucky' to have the skills required to reduce his gas bill slightly. However, Mr McGuinness says he is still concerned about the continuing rise in bills. This and other measures, such as reducing his boiler's power consumption and insulating his home, have helped him take control of his energy expenditure, he adds. Via Twitter, he's found several people who are willing to try prototypes of his device, which he says he might go on to produce for sale. 'My little sensor system, I could probably put it together for about a tenner,' he says. He can then fine-tune the temperature manually.

It sends a notification to a smartphone app if the return flow rises above 55C, the approximate point at which the boiler would stop condensing. In the Midlands, programmer Tomás McGuinness has designed a different gizmo that uses sensors to read the flow temperatures on his boiler. Tomás McGuinness has designed a sensor system for about £10 Lower flow temperatures mean more hot water vapour condenses within the boiler as it operates, which retains heat. The flow temperature is the temperature to which a combi heats the water before it circulates among radiators. Mr Pschierer-Barnfather's project began after he read about how lowering the flow temperature on a condensing gas combi boiler can improve its efficiency. Weather compensation - technology that adjusts the temperature of your central heating system to reflect the outside temperature and use less energyĬombi boiler - provides both hot water and central heating from a single unit Heating termsįlow temperature - the temperature of the water in the pipes that supply your radiatorsĬondensing boiler - a boiler that uses the hot gases produced to further heat the water, instead of letting the heat escape through the flue Other techies have come up with gadgets and apps to help them reduce their bills and, given the soaring cost of energy at the moment, many are keen to share their experiences in the hope that they will benefit others.

It's a job that is probably best undertaken by someone who knows what they are doing. But Mr Pschierer-Barnfather, who works for an electric car charging firm and has some technical know-how, says making the device himself cost only about £15.

Where to buy the gizmo gaget