Radiator Thermostats - explain please?

iwilldoitthistime

Hi

Sorry to ask what is probably a really simple question!

I live in a two year old house and all radiators (except those in the living room where the wall thermostat is) have thermostats on.

Ive tried to turn some of them down, but they are still burning hot. especially the bathrooms where Ive got heated towel rail ladder type radiators. Even when turned down to 2, they are so hot Im frightened to leave my 3 year old in there alone.:eek:

I assumed that if I turned down the individual raditors that they would reduce in heat. Is this not the case?

thanks

macman

Turn down the temperature on the boiler control that covers the central heating side of the supply (not the hot water side).
Bear in mind that turning down a TRV does not reduce the flow and make it colder. It just reduces the temperature at which it closes.
What temp have you got the room 'stat set to?

iwilldoitthistime

thanks for the reply. Ive got the room thermostat set at 15. Will this make a difference?

macman

That's rather low, most people use maybe 18-21C. Is the room stat operating, does it click as you turn it up and down and does it trigger the boiler on/off?
Check the water temp setting on your boiler. What is it set to? Make/model?

iwilldoitthistime

We leave it set at 15 and the house is nice and warm - maybe were just well insulated? It definately clicks on and off when I turn it up and down, and the radiators come on at the right times.

The boilers in the garage which means going out into the rain - I'll maybe leave it until tomrrow to check the temp setting!

thanks

iwilldoitthistime

Right - I braved the rain and checked the boiler. Its an Ideal Isar. There is just a dial for the temp on the heating and its set at about 75% - theres nothing that actually tells an exact temp?

thanks

macman

iwilldoitthistime wrote: »

Right - I braved the rain and checked the boiler. Its an Ideal Isar. There is just a dial for the temp on the heating and its set at about 75% - theres nothing that actually tells an exact temp?

thanks

Then suggest you turn it down to about half way and then see what effect that has. All set ups are diffferent, but 75% seems a bit high to me.

iwilldoitthistime

thanks macman. I'll give it a shot!

confuseddad_2

Hello.

I thought that it was better to do it the other way and turn the boiler up to max so it is working to its maxximum efficancy and then controlling temp in house with trvs????

Help??

macman

Why do you assume that running the boiler at max is more efficient? Does you car do more mpg at 80mph than 40mph? That way you are just producing excess heat which the TRV's are trying to throttle back.
The OP already said that with the TRV's turned down the rads are still too hot, so clearly the input temp needs to be reduced.

confuseddad_2

I dont assume anything.

I was looking for help.

I got this answer in a previous post.

To confussedad. How i run my central heating is.
Beedrooms on number 2 on trv
Bathrooms on full. number 5 on trv.
Kitchen normally on number 3 trv.
Living room on number 5 on trv.
I keep the wireless stat in the living room so that shuts the boiler down.
If your rads are taking ages to heat the house then turn the boiler stat up.
It uses more energy leaving a condensing boiler low. Condensing boilers need to run hard to get the effiency from them.

Just trying to get the best use of my system at the lowest cost.