Is your heating ON or OFF?

closed

Caterina wrote: »

Today, heating on (low but constant) all day, because it is cold and, as you know, the myth goes:

"It takes more energy to heat a space from freezing cold than to keep it on fairly low regularly" :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/cym/Home-improvements-and-products/Heating-and-hot-water/Hot-tips

"If you have a programmer or timer, set it so that the heating only comes on when needed. If you are out of the house during the day then it shouldn't be left switched on all the time and for most people, it won’t be needed at night while asleep."

"Your hot water should also be set to come on only when needed. It is quite a widespread myth that it is more efficient to leave your hot water on all the time however this is not the case"

closed

Alison_Funnell wrote: »

Was that in reply to my post?

If so why? The therm doesn't need to be any higher just needs moving. TRV's were fitted from the beginning.

You've got a thermostat in the hall as most people do, because it is usually the coldest room in the house, and are messing about with doors, turning off radiatiors, because it's too hot, or too cold, or the stat is tripping off - so why not let the trv's and thermostat do their job, maintain a comfortable temperature throughout the house, and avoid heating up any room too much, and wasting energy. Moving the thermostat, just moves the problem, it won't fix it.

TRV systems should have at least one radiator open/on all the time, to stop damage to the pump if all the trv's shutdown/close, this is usually the hall radiator (where the wall stat is).

Assuming the radiators are balanced correctly, if you are too hot in a room with trv's, they are set too high and therefore wasting money, if the hall stat is tripping off the whole house before the other rooms are to temp, it is set too low.

Once you get the correct settings (timer, trv's, thermostat) around the house, you shouldn't have to touch any controls all year round, regardless of the weather outside, apart from if there is a change of behaviour (eg you are in the house when you aren't normally, which is just a case of turning the heating on at the timer, rather than adjusting any stats)

OrkneyStar

We have no full house thermostat- instead a temp setting dial on each storage heater.
We have one in the hall (on and the heat rises upstairs due to location ), one in the kitchen (off), two in the lounge (back end small one-on, front large- off). Upstairs we have mini panel heaters which we put on for an hour before we/DS go to bed in those rooms, rarely use the one in the spare room, and a fan heater in the bathroom (on when we shower!). No heater in downstairs loo :eek:

We also have a fire heater in the living room, which we do use, - it sits where the coal fire is but but with my back I am not up for shovelling coal right now and it has wood in front to block it off!
Today it is quite cold, and snowing outside, so after our showers we will wear as many layers as we can and jump up and down if we are cold!

TBH I am not that keen on storage heaters but until we get an oil-burning radiator system (if ever) it has to be that as no real gas supply for heating up here (Calor for cooking)- I loved my flat with it's GCH and mum has that in her house too! We pay about £60 ish for leccie a month (and are in credit with non-estimated bills!), which is not bad imho, considering it is the only fuel, I am a SAHM- so we are in more, and also I use cooker a lot! Were paying more but on a better deal now!

debtdesperado

Off.. the knob has fallen off the boiler whilst it was in the 'off' position, and will be getting my boilerman in during the next few weeks to fit a new radiator, so no point calling him out before then... brrrrr!

Primrose

We've come through the winter using our summer duvet but some nights with our cotton sheets it has felt quite chilly. I've discovered that placing a large fluffy towell under your body on the bottom sheet makes a huge difference to the amount of heat retained in the bed. It seems to absorb and retain your body warmth instead of it being lost into the lower layers of the mattress.

calebdylan

not yet but it was freezing this morning.

Caterina

closed wrote: »

http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/cym/Home-improvements-and-products/Heating-and-hot-water/Hot-tips

"If you have a programmer or timer, set it so that the heating only comes on when needed. If you are out of the house during the day then it shouldn't be left switched on all the time and for most people, it won’t be needed at night while asleep."

"Your hot water should also be set to come on only when needed. It is quite a widespread myth that it is more efficient to leave your hot water on all the time however this is not the case"

Thanks I stand corrected - now it will be a lot of fun for me to contradict DH, thank you also for this I already have the on-going fight about windows open vs windows closed (I would have them open all the time, cold an' all! He goes on about U-values, air-exchange rates and stuff and by then I yawn ).

jennihen

Got my gas bill today. Was £115 in credit at the end of last quarter, paid 3 monthly payments of £70, Total gas charges (water,heating and hob cooking) were £188 so I'm £247 IN CREDIT!!

boliston

Primrose wrote: »

We've come through the winter using our summer duvet but some nights with our cotton sheets it has felt quite chilly......

Wow - I often have winter duvet + summer duvet + 2 blankets on top of that!

jennihen

Guess I can lighten up on the kids a little bit - although if I can shower and wash my hair in 3 mins . . .