Have you turned your heating on yet ?

[Mapantz]

Mine is switched on all of the time for hot water, although I never use hot water for anything. I've always turned it on / off as and when I need it.

Quote

According to experts at the Energy Saving Trust, as well as British Gas, the idea that it's cheaper to leave the heating on low all day is a myth. They're clear that having the heating on only when you need it is, in the long run, the best way to save energy, and therefore money. 

 

[Flaked Queen]

2 minutes ago, Lauren said:

It's on all the time for water but I had only been turning the heating on and off as needed. I presume he's saying it's more cost effective as it doesn't have to start from scratch each time to heat?

Yes that’s what they said the reason was for leaving it on so it doesn’t have to keep restarting 

[Flaked Queen]

2 minutes ago, Mapantz said:

Mine is switched on all of the time for hot water, although I never use hot water for anything. I've always turned it on / off as and when I need it.

 

U don’t have baths or showers ?? 

[Mapantz]

Just now, Snowflake Queen said:

U don’t have baths or showers ?? 

The shower heats the water itself. 
The reason I don't use hot water is because the kitchen and bathroom sinks are the furthest items away from the boiler. It takes 90 seconds of tap running at full before the water even gets slightly warm - waste of water!

[matt111]

14 minutes ago, Mapantz said:

The shower heats the water itself. 
The reason I don't use hot water is because the kitchen and bathroom sinks are the furthest items away from the boiler. It takes 90 seconds of tap running at full before the water even gets slightly warm - waste of water!

Got the same problem here with water taking so long to warm up. Most of the washing up goes in the dishwasher which heats it’s own water and the shower does the same. 

Usually here the heatings left on all the time but only comes on when it’s the temperature in the house is low enough. 

[Lauren]

I also don't get what I'm meant to do with the radiator valves. Turn them up full? What's the point having them on just a bit?

[Snipper]

21 minutes ago, Lauren said:

I also don't get what I'm meant to do with the radiator valves. Turn them up full? What's the point having them on just a bit?

If you have thermostatic valves set them to a position where your room heats to the temperature you want in that room. If feeling too cold wind them up. If too hot wind them down. 

How you feel will depend on a number of factors. Weather, time of day, how you are feeling. 

Edited November 13, 2018 by Nick L
Removing unpleasant tone

[Lauren]

6 minutes ago, Snipper said:

If you have thermostatic valves set them to a position where your room heats to the temperature you want in that room. If feeling too cold wind them up. If too hot wind them down. 

How you feel will depend on a number of factors. Weather, time of day, how you are feeling. 

Thanks, I get that but what I mean is, does it not make more sense to turn the radiators up full but the thermostats down or does that make no difference? So let's say my thermostat is set to 20C but my radiator valves are only half way, does that mean my room isn't actually heating to 20?

[matt111]

30 minutes ago, Lauren said:

I also don't get what I'm meant to do with the radiator valves. Turn them up full? What's the point having them on just a bit?

The only thing I've been told about them is if they’re turned down lower in some rooms it directs more of the heat into the other rooms where it’s needed more. Not entirely sure how well it works though. 

Edited November 13, 2018 by matt111

[Nick L]

5 minutes ago, Lauren said:

Thanks, I get that but what I mean is, does it not make more sense to turn the radiators up full but the thermostats down or does that make no difference? So let's say my thermostat is set to 20C but my radiator valves are only half way, does that mean my room isn't actually heating to 20?

I'm pretty sure it will continue until it heats up to 20c.

[Lauren]

7 minutes ago, Nick L said:

I'm pretty sure it will continue until it heats up to 20c.

So would it then not make sense to just have them on full then as it's the same regardless?

 

God, I'm really not getting this, sorry! 

[Nick L]

5 minutes ago, Lauren said:

So would it then not make sense to just have them on full then as it's the same regardless?

 

God, I'm really not getting this, sorry! 

I believe so! I've never really understood the point of having thermostats on radiators either?

[Snipper]

5 minutes ago, Nick L said:

I'm pretty sure it will continue until it heats up to 20c.

Really depends on what the various heat sources are in your house together with the circulation of heat in your house plus other factors. My wife feels the cold more than I do.

You can usually alter the temperature of the boiler you use. It will pump water around the central heating circuit at that temperature. By the time it gets to a particular room it will be less. The amount of fall will depend on a number of factors.

You could have a wall thermostat in that room and or radiator thermostats. The wall thermostat will tend to show a particular temperature. Dial it to a level you like by experiment. Radiator valves are more vague. Usually settings that are just numbers. Once again just see what suits you by trial and error. 

During the working day when you are likely to be active you are less likely to feel the cold. Sitting around doing nothing you are. 

I personally alter the temperatures to suit the time of day. Some rooms may not be heated at all and their doors closed. My logic is why use heat when not needed. The fewer number of radiators that are on the less your heating cost. It is an indivuals decision what suits them best. 

Some will decide they need a pullover and not have the heating on. 

[Mokidugway]

TRVs do regulate room temp by virtue of reducing system flow used correctly of course 

[Lauren]

5 minutes ago, Mokidugway said:

TRVs do regulate room temp by virtue of reducing system flow used correctly of course 

Please explain in simpleton language 

[Mokidugway]

Just now, Lauren said:

Please explain in simpleton language 

Reduced flow means less heating of water in system and less gas or electric ,lol

[The PIT]

Mostly off by the thermostat at the moment although it does have it's crazy moments like staying on when it shouldn't and off when it shouldn't. Old heating system though and upgrading it I would never recover the cost as I wouldn't make enough savings in fuel.

Edited November 13, 2018 by The PIT

[matt111]

14 minutes ago, Snipper said:

I personally alter the temperatures to suit the time of day. Some rooms may not be heated at all and their doors closed. My logic is why use heat when not needed. The fewer number of radiators that are on the less your heating cost. It is an indivuals decision what suits them best. 

When my brother was away at uni we always did that with his bedroom as there was never any need to heat it, also the conservatory radiator is turned rough down when no ones in there. We used to have a utility room where I used to live and the radiator hardly heated that room anyway let alone anyone wanting to spend time in there so that was only ever on in my really cold spells and even the only on a very low setting. Like you say why waste heat you don’t need. 

 

Edited November 13, 2018 by matt111

[matty40s]

Well the Morso Squirrel stove went on about October 16th, and hasn't been out since, its quite a challenge keeping it in but just slumbering at this time of year, leave it burning too hot in the day and the cat has shaved its fur off when we get home when its sunny.

We only light the 2nd stove at the back (the Epping) when it goes below freezing for days on end, so it protects the engine. The Squirrel will probably stay lit until March now, and usually overnights until May.

The central heating unit NEVER gets used.

[Snipper]

7 minutes ago, Lauren said:

Please explain in simpleton language 

Radiator valves register the temperature in its immediate vicinity. This might not be the same as on the other side of the room. If there is no thermostatic valve fitted hot water pumps round the system whether the room feels too hot or not. If you set the thermostatic valve to a certain number the valve will remain open until that temperature is reached and will switch off.  Your room temperature will remain at that level until it cools down a bit at which time valve opens allowing more hot water to flow. 

In the absence of a thermostatic valve and no other controls the room could get unbearably hot unless you switched the boiler or circulation pump off. 

What suits you depends on trial and error. 

[Lauren]

6 minutes ago, Snipper said:

Radiator valves register the temperature in its immediate vicinity. This might not be the same as on the other side of the room. If there is no thermostatic valve fitted hot water pumps round the system whether the room feels too hot or not. If you set the thermostatic valve to a certain number the valve will remain open until that temperature is reached and will switch off.  Your room temperature will remain at that level until it cools down a bit at which time valve opens allowing more hot water to flow. 

In the absence of a thermostatic valve and no other controls the room could get unbearably hot unless you switched the boiler or circulation pump off. 

What suits you depends on trial and error. 

Ah that makes sense. So it's basically like a second thermostat that's more accurate for individual rooms. So I guess heating efficiency is about balancing the two.

[Flaked Queen]

5 minutes ago, Lauren said:

Ah that makes sense. So it's basically like a second thermostat that's more accurate for individual rooms. So I guess heating efficiency is about balancing the two.

And use one of them foil things behind the rads ... keeps room toasty for ages ( reflectors ) maybe is what they are callled I just know how to turn the heating on and off not into the technical side

[Snipper]

10 minutes ago, Lauren said:

Ah that makes sense. So it's basically like a second thermostat that's more accurate for individual rooms. So I guess heating efficiency is about balancing the two.

Yes that is right. 

The size of radiator for any room needs to be assessed. Too small the room would not heat up even if water flowing through it was nearly boiling. 

Edited November 13, 2018 by Snipper

[Bristawl Si]

13 minutes ago, Lauren said:

Ah that makes sense. So it's basically like a second thermostat that's more accurate for individual rooms. So I guess heating efficiency is about balancing the two.

Yes Lauren.

Had our long-standing plumber/heating engineer here on Sunday to try to balance our system properly. We were having issues last Winter with downstairs rads not heating up quick enough or to a proper heat. But upstairs was like a furnace.

He fitted individual thermos to upstairs rads so we can regulate temps in the bedrooms and on the landing. Taken me a couple of eves to really sort what settings best suit us. And now downstairs warms up quicker and warmer than before; upstairs more bearable as our spare room has only the lowest of temps settings and our landing is warm rather than baking hot.

[Snipper]

A word of warning about thermostatic radiator valves.

When you no longer have the heating on leave the valves open to their highest setting during the summer months. If you don’t you may find they are stuck closed and you get no heat into your radiator when you go to switch it on next season. Mr plumber will be pleased to sort it out for a large sum making your heating cost even higher.