efficient central heating system

want2bmortgage3

currently have a 1.5 year old combi condensing boiler connected to water mains which supplies radiators and taps. no thermostat, just a timer, plumber fitted TRVS on all but one radiator to regulate temp.

ive never got to grips with this system , and read that TRVs waste the efficiency of a modern boiler??

would i be worth getting a thermostat installed and having the trv's removed?

want2bmortgage3

or could i get a thermo installed in the living room, the main living area, and has a cold outside wall. then keep the trv's but just leave them on full setting so they shouldn't activate?

jblack_2

want2bmortgage3 wrote: »

or could i get a thermo installed in the living room, the main living area, and has a cold outside wall. then keep the trv's but just leave them on full setting so they shouldn't activate?

You can have both TRVs an a room stat. That would be the easiest thing to do.

J

economiser

TRV's won't waste energy. The room thermostat may help economy in that it turns the whole heating system off when the room it is sited in is up to temperature, and this is fine if this room is indicative of the houses heating requirements. It can cause problems in that if you get a lot of sunshine, or have lots of people or have an open fire in the room with the 'stat it can shut the heating down in the whole house when you might not want it to happen. They are often located in hallways to minimise this sort of issue. Personally I turn the heating off manually when I don't want it. Ideally you should not have a TRV and room 'stat in the same room.

david29dpo

Ditch the timer (or leave on constant) and fit a programable thermostat.

want2bmortgage3

thermostat sounds like a good option then, and left on constant, or just timed for when i will be in. any idea on best location for a thermostat? the boiler and current timer are both in the kitchen by the door, on the other side of that wall is the lounge.

economiser

want2bmortgage3 wrote: »

any idea on best location for a thermostat?

Good question. Difficult to answer. Problem is that the thermostat controls the whole system so once the room in which it is located is warm enough it shuts the whole system down. As said before many people locate it in the hallway as this is one of the cooler spaces in the house. In commercial buildings an outside weather sensor is usually used, which is far more sensible, but they are not common in domestic systems though they are available I think.