24/7 heating on Vs 3 x per day at a higher temperature

salvador2

I wonder if an expert on this matter can advise me

We have a large 3 storey detached house, 8 beds, 5 bathrooms, etc. No cavity wall insulation and I don't think I want any. Loft insulation is OK though. All double glazed too

This winter we have run the central heating on 24/7 at 18 degrees C whereas before we used to run it from 6am -> 8:30, 11am -->1pm and from 4:30 --> 8:30pm at 22 degrees C.

Having the CH on at a lower temp makes the house much warmer and comfortable..... it seems that the boiler is not always on while having the CH 3 times a day seems like the boiler is always on trying to warm up the house and when it gets there or thereabouts it's time to switch off

We have only done this in December and January so we don't know how expensive this is going to be .....

Is this a crazy and expensive way? Should I run it 3 times a day at a even higher temperature?


Thanks in advance.

victor2

There are endless discussions on here about what you're considering!
The best way you'll find out is to take meter readings daily and see how much gas each scenario uses. The outside temperature will of course have a huge bearing on the usage though, so try alternating days where the temperature outside is similar.
If you don't already have one, maybe a programmable thermostat for the house would be useful in giving you a satisfactory balance of cost versus comfort.

m0j00

I prefer to keep it on 24/7 like yourself.I prefer the feel of the house being warm with thermostat set at 20 deg. Been averageing 7 m3 of gas per day over the last month.

salvador2

victor2 wrote: »

There are endless discussions on here about what you're considering!
The best way you'll find out is to take meter readings daily and see how much gas each scenario uses. The outside temperature will of course have a huge bearing on the usage though, so try alternating days where the temperature outside is similar.
If you don't already have one, maybe a programmable thermostat for the house would be useful in giving you a satisfactory balance of cost versus comfort.

No, I don have a programmable thermostat.

Good to see that some people have taken the same approach, that means is not such a crazy idea after all my wife is convinced that it might work out cheaper in the long run..... I doubt that very much but if the difference is not huge then I will keep it that way.

My next door neighbour spent lots insulating his house but his fuel expenditure is not that much lower than ours.

I'd like to hear more from people that have taken this approach.... specially with information on how much they used before and after starting this experiment.

reeac

There's usually [always?] some hours out of the 24 when everyone's in bed and the general house temperature can be lower without anyone getting uncomfortable. If the house temp. is lower then the rate of heat loss will be less - Newton's Law of Cooling says that heat loss is proportional to temperature difference between a warm body and its surroundings. Many people think that the boiler has to work so much harder to warm the place up after the heating's been off that they'll use more fuel but it just ain't so - you will always save fuel if you have an off period with consequent temperature drop and [Newton's Law] reduction in heat loss to the exterior.

Cardew

Your variation on the perennial heating on 24/7 versus Timed debate is also asked frequently.

As said above, with question timed heating is cheaper than heating on 24/7 when the same temperature is used..

However when you ask if x hours at 22C is cheaper than 18C on 24/7, the question cannot be answered as it totally depends on the insulation properties(and thus heat loss) of your house.

I also have to disagree that with the temperature at 18C it "makes the house much warmer and comfortable". I stress temperature at 18C not the temperature set on the thermostat. Especially, if the thermostat is situated in the hall, the temperature can be much higher in other rooms.

In any case 18C is cold! Not for working in the house, but sitting and say, watching TV. The recommended temperature is 21C

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5372296.stm

http://www.deals4homes.co.uk/heating/room_temperatures.htm

At this point we normally have posts from people who sit in their underwear with the room at 11C!!!