How to set best settings for Hot Water/Central Heating?

humfer

Moved to a new bigger house about a year ago and only now trying to lower my gas bills (avg £100 month over the year). Old house just had central heating timer. New one has electronic timer where you can specify both central heating on/off and also hot water on/off

Haven't go a clue how the boilers all work but have the following if it helps with this question at all - Ideal icos HE24 downstairs and Range Tribune HE upstairs (huge tank with 2 what I think are either expansion/storage tanks above one red and one white)

Obviously dead easy with central heating as know when want it on and off, and know that within a few minutes of it coming on, radiators will be hot. What about the hot water - I currently have in on from 6.30 to 7.00 in the morning and then from 5.30 to 8.00 at night. We tend to shower once in the morning, and then only the odd bath in the evening at the weekend. Couple of questions - are these timer settings actually producing and storing hot water - and if so, for how long? Secondly, is it not just easier to turn the HW on whenever you want a shower/bath? Maybe we leave the water on inthe morning but then not bother at night??? Confused. Sorry if this all sounds stupid but have never understood how boilers/etc work:eek:

Cardew

I currently have in on from 6.30 to 7.00 in the morning and then from 5.30 to 8.00 at night.

Presumably the 'huge tank' is for hot water(with insulation)

If that provides sufficient hot water for your needs, then you can experiment by cutting the time until it isn't quite sufficient.

The tank will not heat up instantly.

Provided the tank is well insulated, it will not matter too much how long the timer is on for.

humfer

Cardew wrote: »

Presumably the 'huge tank' is for hot water(with insulation)

If that provides sufficient hot water for your needs, then you can experiment by cutting the time until it isn't quite sufficient.

The tank will not heat up instantly.

Provided the tank is well insulated, it will not matter too much how long the timer is on for.

Yes I think so, but it also has 2 plastics mini tanks/cylinders above it - one red and one white. The one that is red has a pressure gauge attached is that means anything??

Fire_Fox

Might be best if you contact the companies themselves and asked for an instruction manual.

aelitaman

The simple fact is that if you heat water that you do not use then you are wasting money.

So if you shower in the morning and want hot water and the only hot water you use in the evening is to wash hands or wash up then there is no point in heating the water for longer in the evening. You main hot water use is in the morning.

So if I was you I would heat the water in the morning and not in the evening, if the boiler is well insulated then the water may well retain enough heat so that the water is hot enough to wash hands in the evening. If not then put the boiler on for 15 mins in the evening and then increase the time that you have it on in the evening until the water has the temp that you require.

Also look out for the temp that you heat the water too. If your water is so hot that you add cold water to it for showering or washing hands then this is wasting money. Set the temp on the hot water to as low as posible and see if this is hot enough to shower in. It should be as building regs say the lowest temp has to be 55C and you will still have to add cold water to that to shower. I have to as that is the setting that I have my water at.

Good luck.

Canucklehead

humfer wrote: »

Yes I think so, but it also has 2 plastics mini tanks/cylinders above it - one red and one white. The one that is red has a pressure gauge attached is that means anything??

Good evening: You have an unvented cylinder .
It should be serviced by a RGI who holds a 'G3' qualification for 'Unvented Hot Water Storage Systems' (many do not have this certification..those who do will have a photo identification card with a certificate number and issue date so ask to see it). More on unvented cylinders here...not a DIY.;)

HTH

Canucklehead

space_rider

I have 2 teenagers and a 9 year old in my house and we only have the hot water on for half hour before we get up and then another half hour at 5. That gives us plenty of hot water for showers in the morning, washing up etc and then enough for my little one`s bath and even another 3 showers in the evening. I have the same hot water cylinder as you. The setting for the hot water is 55.