Using central heating for only one radiator?

jeffes

Basically at the moment we dont want to heat the whole house, which includes six radiators, but only want to heat one small sized 800 x 600 radiator in one room, as well as a gas fire in another room.

Now instead of plugging in a 1kw electric oil filled radiator, is it better, in terms of cost wise, to switch all the other radiators off with the thermostatic valves and leave one on?

I understand the water would not have to flow through all the other radiators, im assuming it will just pass through the bottom, am i right? But would it be a bit of a wastage of heat considering that the water has to flow through all the pipes?

keystone

jeffes wrote: »

Basically at the moment we dont want to heat the whole house, which includes six radiators, but only want to heat one small sized 800 x 600 radiator in one room, as well as a gas fire in another room.

Now instead of plugging in a 1kw electric oil filled radiator, is it better, in terms of cost wise, to switch all the other radiators off with the thermostatic valves and leave one on?

I understand the water would not have to flow through all the other radiators, im assuming it will just pass through the bottom, am i right? But would it be a bit of a wastage of heat considering that the water has to flow through all the pipes?

Personally I'd use the oil filled rad solution for a single small room.

No it won't pass through the other rads just through the pipework.

Cheers

Leif

If your system is like mine, then it won't necessarily have to flow through all of the pipes, depending on how the radiators are linked. You could easily check by turning off all but the one radiator. At the shut off radiator the pipes should be much cooler than at the active one.