Central heating or gas fire?

jmoid

Hello, I live in a one bedroom flat and my winter gas bill was a bit of a stinker so I'm trying to save on my energy use. We've got central heating with a radiator in each room, but I can't get the ones in the bedroom and bathroom to switch off or even turn down, if the heating's on they're just pumping out heat in empty rooms.

There's also a gas fire in the living room, it's one of those ones that's supposed to look like a real fire. Am I right in thinking that just having the gas fire on just heating one room, it should cost less in gas than having the central heating on?

ic

Arguably yes - but you'd want some background heat in those rooms even when not using them, otherwise it'll take a while to get them up to temperature when you do use them. Why can't you control the heat in those rooms? In this day and age all radiators should have thermostatic valves on them except for the one in the same room as the main thermostat. They're cheap to buy and easy to fit - a plumber could do it pretty quick for you.

jmoid

Thanks for the reply. Sadly I'm renting so I haven't got the option of getting a plumber in. I've turned the control on the side of the radiators down to it's lowest setting but it doesn't seem to make any difference, they still heat up just as much! Is there another way to turn them down?

birkee

jmoid wrote: »

Thanks for the reply. Sadly I'm renting so I haven't got the option of getting a plumber in. I've turned the control on the side of the radiators down to it's lowest setting but it doesn't seem to make any difference, they still heat up just as much! Is there another way to turn them down?

Perhaps you have a thermostat fault, and the heating's running all the time.

I can tell you, that when you come in from the snow and ice, a quick heat input source (the gas fire) is very desirable. Central Heating doesn't hack it.

Check by turning the thermostat right down, to see if the heating goes off (boiler stops) If it doesn't ... new thermostat required.

p.s. Never HAVE been happy with the crudeness of some thermostats.

macman

If you are renting, then get your landlord to fix the TRV's or rad valves so that they work!

aboard_epsilon

does anyone have efficiency stats on gas fires ..
how much goes up/out the flue .

all the best.markj

muskoka

Efficiency stats are going to vary on fire to fire & type of fire. i.e. Conventor gas fire will throw more heat into the room than a pretty 'hole inthe wall ' type fire.