Central Heating - On or Off Yet?

Talldave

BallandChain wrote: »

I might be wrong Talldave but surely it costs money to have the boiler on 'standby' so to speak.

Tonight I tested to make sure the radiators all work and they do! Had the heating on for 15 minutes and we were hot. OH started to feel light headed with the heat, but he insisted we tested the heating as the last time I checked the heating was working I only checked the main radiator came on, lol. Heating now off but electric blanket on.

Not sure what you mean - when the boiler's off it's off and uses no gas whatsoever; but it cleverly cycles the pump from time to time to stop those summer seize-ups.

The thermostat saves us money because in the coldest parts of winter we used to leave the heating on all night at the "evening" temperature. Now we can run it much lower - so we're still comfortable but using less gas. My wife has major circulation problems so I have to keep the house at a certain warmth - but this is the most cost effective way to keep her happy!

Of course, replacing a 30yr old boiler has given the greatest savings (~25%) - and the programmable 'stat soon learnt that it didn't need to switch the boiler on so early to get up to temp in the morning.

BallandChain

Yes you are right Dave, if the boiler is off then it uses no gas. However, I had to check as I wasn't sure, but if you left the boiler on just the pilot light alone will cost. See this thread:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2000435&highlight=pilot+light+boiler

Not sure how it works for me as I have a combi boiler and the boiler is on all the time for instant hot water.

Do you have to have the whole house heated at night when in bed? Could your wife be happy with an electric blanket or mattress topper? I have both on my bed and it gets so warm I turn the electric blanket off before going to bed.

retepetsir

Talldave wrote: »

I just don't get this antiquated attitude of having the heating "On" or "Off".

I've fitted a programmable thermostat into which I've set the times and temperatures that I want the house at - warmer during the evenings, a bit lower during the night, etc.

It's the same programme 52 weeks a year - if we get icy cold weather in June, the heating kicks in, if Christmas Day is boiling hot, it wont be on. In addition, it learns how fast the house heats up - so if you've set it for X degrees at 7am - it'll get it right, adapating for the fact that the radiators will need to come on earlier during colder weather than they do in warmer weather.

If I take a day off during the week, I hit the "day off" button and it switches to the Sunday temperature settings. When we go on holiday, you tell it now many days you're away for and it goes into frost protection mode until the day of your return.

It's a total fit and forget solution - must have cost me about £60 many many years ago and was worth every penny.

Honeywell Programmable Thermostat?

We had one fitted when we moved into our flat last October and it's been great. So much so that I fitted one for my dad last month and he loves it :rotfl:.

BallandChain - that doesn't apply for newer combi systems

Lesley_Allan

mines is now firmly on, getting far too cold now and dont want to suffer anymore, so caved in, on from 6pm - 9pm.

time will tell when i get my bill in beg of dec