Central (Gas) Heating - Best Timings?

Perez

Hi all!

I've only been a home-owner for a year now. I've been wondering recently what the best settings are for central heating - my boiler heats a hot water tank, which then serves the radiators in the house and also provides the hot water.

I can have 2 x different time settings - one for morning, and one for evening.

Is it best to setup my heating to come on as little as I can get away with? I.e. an hour in morning and a bit more in the evening? Or is it likely to be better to have it on a bit more (i.e. having to heat the water up more each time perhaps consumes more gas?)

Not sure if I've said what I'm trying to say in a clear manner? Would like to draw from any experiences that members might have had.

Barry

Cardew

The least time you have it on, the least gas you will use.

So as you suggest, set it for "as little as you can get away with"

Perez

Cardew wrote:

The least time you have it on, the least gas you will use.

So as you suggest, set it for "as little as you can get away with"

Thanks for the quick reply...

The only thing I was unsure about is that the boiler won't use the same amount of gas all the time it's on - if the water in the tank is at the temperature that the thermostat is set at, only a small amount of gas would be used every now and again (to compensate for the heat being radiated through the system, including heat loss from the tank/pipes), whereas if the boiler is off for several hours, it would surely take quite a large amount of energy to bring the temperature of the water in the tank back up to that at which the thermostat is set?

Therefore I don't think it's 100% assured that having the heating on for as little as possible is necessarily the most efficient way to run the system?

I was hoping someone would have experience of this already...

jennifernil

I don't know what is most efficient, but think you should do what is most convenient and comfortable for you.
I take it you have a hot water tank, but you sound a bit confused as to how your system works.
The boiler will heat both the water in the radiators and send heat to the water tank through a coil to heat the water, but the water actually in the tank is totally separate. If you have a fully pumped system then you should be able to set your water and your heating to be on at different times. If you are heating both water and radiators at the same time then both will take longer to heat up. You should have thermostatic valves on most radiators so you can have different temperatures in different rooms if you wish.
I like to have hot water available all the time, and I am home a lot, so I have the HW always on. The radiators however are set to come on for about 2 hours in the morning and about 4 hours in the evening at present. As it gets colder I may increase that time, and if it is really freezing I may have them on all day, but never at night.
You need to look at what is best for you and set up your system accordingly.

Ken68

Yes Perez., mine is on for two hours in the morning and four in the evening, adjusted, of course with the weather.
Maybe, if colder, put it on during the day. As Jennifer says never at night. And...am trying out an electric blanket and switching off the bedroom radiator.Every little helps.

Cardew

Perez wrote:

Therefore I don't think it's 100% assured that having the heating on for as little as possible is necessarily the most efficient way to run the system?

I was hoping someone would have experience of this already...

This has been discussed many times - do a search.

It is 100% certain that the shorter time your boiler is running(for whatever reason) the lower your gas bill.

If you want further re-assurance look up the Energy Saving Trust(a Government sponsored organisation) website for confirmation; also plenty of advice lines.

If someone suggested to you that you keep boiling your kettle all day(or left a pan of water simmering on the stove all day) because it takes more power to heat them up from cold, you might think them soft in the head. Same principle.

Obviously your primary concern should be your comfort and, particularly with a well insulated hot water tank, the differences in cost of heating hot water for longer periods will not be great.

However in response to your original question, the least time the boiler is left on is most efficient.

david29dpo

dont bother with a timer for the heating. get a programable thermostat.

fergee

Firstly I think that you will find that your hot water tank only contains the water you use from your taps (the hot water system) as it is storing hot water for baths etc. Your heating will be using a circuit of water that is directly heated by the boiler for your radiators only when switched on.

This directly heated circuit of water heats your water tank via a heat exchanger (coiled pipe) in your water tank. In some houses the supply of the water to this tank is controlled by a motorised valve that short circuits the heated circuit mentioned above to supply only your water tank. This is useful when you want hot water but no heating. In some other situations the hot water tank is simply considered as another radiator with hot water going to it all the time. this arrangement is a pain in the summer as you cannot supply the tank on its own without turning off the radiators, that is why people with this arrangement who cannot be bothered to isolate the radiators use their immersion heater. If your heating control panel allows you to have different time settings for your heating and your water you have the first system.

Now getting back to the question it is a given that the less time your heating is on the less gas you will use. also look at your thermostat on your hot water tank and make sure it is set to between 60-70, make sure your room stats are not above 20. turn thermostatic valves down to suit each room and ensure your boiler is not set to its highest setting. If your boiler is more than say 15 years old it could pay to have it replaced.(save approx 30% on heating costs)