Gas on constantly or on and off...?

Chrysalis

mech wrote: »

Ah so if it's on constantly would the house just get hotter and hotter until it was like a sauna? I suspect most installations at least have either thermostatic radiator valves or a roomstat, if not both.

as I stated earlier and also someone confirmed earlier that older installation (and mine is very old) have no thermostats. My radiators appear to have ways to adjust manually but they too stiff to turn.

JennyR68

curlygirl1971 wrote: »

Don't suppose anyone can give me some advice

It's forecasted to reach -11 tonight. I live in an 1910 terraced house.
I have an old heating system (will be getting a new boiler later this year). The timer doesn't work properly and neither does the thermostat. I am incredibly nervous of going to bed tonight with the heating off and the pipes freezing. Do I leave the heating on or take a chance? It does seem ridiculous to have the house heated whilst I'm in bed - and it will become uncomfortably warm but like I say........am really nervous. The waste pipe from the bathroom sink has already frozen

I think I'd leave it on and rest easy. I'd only lie awake worrying or have nightmares of icy pipes.

curlygirl1971

Yeah as I read back my post I thought that would be the best thing. You are right I wouldn't sleep. The cost of heating the house isn't as much as the cost of repairs!

Many thanks Jenny

mech_2

curlygirl1971 wrote: »

Don't suppose anyone can give me some advice

It's forecasted to reach -11 tonight. I live in an 1910 terraced house.
I have an old heating system (will be getting a new boiler later this year). The timer doesn't work properly and neither does the thermostat. I am incredibly nervous of going to bed tonight with the heating off and the pipes freezing. Do I leave the heating on or take a chance? It does seem ridiculous to have the house heated whilst I'm in bed - and it will become uncomfortably warm but like I say........am really nervous. The waste pipe from the bathroom sink has already frozen

My gut feeling is that the house won't cool down to below zero in the time you are asleep. But at these sorts of temperatures I wouldn't want to count on it! Especially as you probably have heating pipes in an unheated void under the floor, ventilated to outdoors.

You could just turn some of the radiators off so the house doesn't get too warm. Including the one in the bedroom. Or if there's a water temperature dial on the boiler, turn that down low during the night. That would limit the excess heat somewhat.

curlygirl1971

Thanks Mech - have taken your advice

Wickedkitten

SuzieSue wrote: »

Thanks for asking, as I said in an earlier post, I used to pay £56 per month for both gas and electriciity with Scottish Power last year and that covered both utilites adquuately, if anything, I was slightly in credit at the end of the year. Then I changed to SP's Online 7 and they said my monthly dd would reduce to £36 or £38 per month (I can't remember which). I assume they must have taken account of last year's usage so I am hoping this will be adequate unless we have a much colder winter than last year.

I only have to change the stat once in the morning and once before I go to bed, but I am thiniking of getting a programmable room stat put in when I have my boiler changned so I won't even need to do that.

Ah Christ, you should really really do a meter reading and submit it so you can know if your direct debit is too low instead of taking their word for it.

SuzieSue

Wickedkitten wrote: »

Ah Christ, you should really really do a meter reading and submit it so you can know if your direct debit is too low instead of taking their word for it.

But that is why I made the point that I was paying £56 a month last year because the £38 is an estimate and I didn't want people to think it was realistic because I don't know what assumptions they made.
Obviously if I was thinking of changing suppliers I would have done a proper calculation (as I did when I changed to SP 4 years ago) but I had no intention of changing from SP and I had budgeted £56 a month and so all I wanted to know was the the unit prices were lower than I was currently paying. I was very surprised when the said my dd would reduce to £36 and I am not certain it is realistic.

spinningsheep

I have a Glowworm Fuelsaver F, approx 25 - 30 years old we think, and according to BG "predict your bill" over the last 7 days, and during that time the heating has been on for approx 12-15 hours a day, on 18-20 degrees, we have used £36.30, water temp dial on boiler set almost as high as it will go (not sure of number, they have rubbed off with age!) daren't put it on the highest as the boiler starts to wheeze!!

Wickedkitten

SuzieSue wrote: »

But that is why I made the point that I was paying £56 a month last year because the £38 is an estimate and I didn't want people to think it was realistic because I don't know what assumptions they made.
Obviously if I was thinking of changing suppliers I would have done a proper calculation (as I did when I changed to SP 4 years ago) but I had no intention of changing from SP and I had budgeted £56 a month and so all I wanted to know was the the unit prices were lower than I was currently paying. I was very surprised when the said my dd would reduce to £36 and I am not certain it is realistic.

That's why I'm saying you should submit your meter reading now instead of waiting for them to bill you and find out they have undercharged you by loads. We are with Scottish Power and since it's been getting cold, I tend to submit ours weekly just to keep on top of things.

SuzieSue

Wickedkitten wrote: »

That's why I'm saying you should submit your meter reading now instead of waiting for them to bill you and find out they have undercharged you by loads. We are with Scottish Power and since it's been getting cold, I tend to submit ours weekly just to keep on top of things.

Thanks a lot for the advice, however, I am not worried about the cost at all, if I was then I would do what you are doing. I would much rather keep the money in my bank account earning interest than give it to them, but if I was on a tight budget, then submitting weekly readings is a very good idea.