Cost of the boiler running without heating on?

[Deleted User]

Hi guys,

This may seem like an odd question but I wondered how much it costs to have the boiler on, but without the central heating or water on? I live on a main road and to drown out the noise of traffic, I like having the boiler on as the noise is quite calming. I don't put the central heating on (I use an electric blanket instead). Is having the boiler on, but not really doing anything costing money? Anyone care to hazard a guess as to how much?

Many thanks x

Farway

If you can hear the boiler something must be running, and you say the heating & water are off

What sort of boiler is it? Combi or the type that heat a tank of hot water? Does it have a pilot light?

Just what is running? Some sort of pump? In which case the cost is electricity not gas, but if the pump is running, and heating & hot water are both off, why is a pump running?

[Deleted User]

Hi,

It's a combi boiler that heats the water and heating. It also has a pilot light. I have put the water on the lowest setting, but the heating is off. Will this cost a lot?

macman

With the heating off on a combi there should be no noise at all. A pilot light should not be audible. You will only hear the boiler when you open a hot tap and the boiler fires up. The only cost is whatever gas the pilot light burns, and a small amount of electricity.

[Deleted User]

Hi macman,
I realised the heating was on very very slightly, but all the radiators in the house are set to 0. Do you think this will cost anything?

macman

But you said the heating was switched off? Where is set to 'very slightly'? If the rads are off but the CH is on, you are just pointlessly circulating hot water without it reaching the rads. The boiler will hardly be firing as there will be no demand from the TRV's if they are closed.
It won't cost much, but yes, if the boiler is firing then it's costing you something-monitor your gas meter on a daily basis and you will know how much.
Why don't you just make a MP3 or CD of 'boiler noise' and play that in the background instead?

Cardew

Deleted_User wrote: »

Hi macman,
I realised the heating was on very very slightly, but all the radiators in the house are set to 0. Do you think this will cost anything?

Do you have one radiator or towel rail without a TRV(control on radiator)

Pincher

Provided there is a heat dump, and the boiler modulates down to minimum power, say 3kW (= 9p per hour at 3p per kWh), and only when she's in the house, I don't think it will break the bank.

Record the boiler sound?
What about the log burning DVD?

[Deleted User]

Cardew wrote: »

Do you have one radiator or towel rail without a TRV(control on radiator)

Yes, I do have a radiator without a TRV but it doesn't seem to be producing any heat.

I have made MP3s of white noise to block out the sound before but it doesn't seem as effective as the actual boiler! It's not loud but produces a nice background hum.

aelitaman

Deleted_User wrote: »

Hi macman,
I realised the heating was on very very slightly, but all the radiators in the house are set to 0. Do you think this will cost anything?

When you are doing this and you do not have gas fires on or gas cooking look at the gas meter. If it is turning then it is costing you money.

[Deleted User]

Thank you, I'll give that a try!