Central Heating Question

abitrubbish

Hello, I'm new here so please be nice :-)

I have recently been wondering about the most efficient way to run my central heating and haven't been able to find a sensible answer anywhere, so was hoping you nice people might be able to shed some light?

We live in an oldish (1870?) terrace house, single glazed throughout and over 4 floors (someone else lives in the basement flat but on same system/bill). The boiler has a pilot light, so not that new I assume, and the radiators are original cast iron ones.

We have been trying to use the timer so that it only comes on in the morning and the evening, as we work all day, but recently in the cold weather it seems to be taking so long to heat through that it is still very cold when we get in, even when it has been on for 2 hours (we have a thermometer that often says 13 degrees). It also gets very cold at night, and with 2 very young children I worry about this. DH thinks that it might actually use less energy to leave it on all the time to avoid it getting so cold and having to start from scratch, but I'm not sure

What do you think? Is there an easy solution to this?

Sorry for the waffle!

TOBRUK

Do you have the boiler serviced every year? There may be a problem with the boiler/central heating system.

Bambywamby

Welcome to the site....99% of peeps are always nice so don' worry about that.

That has always been a quandry...is it cheaper to leave heating on all day or to turn it on & off as and when needed?

Personally we leave it off and turn it on when needed.
We wear extra layers of clothing when it gets a bit nippy. I have a lovely thick scarf that doubles up as a shawl and keeps me really snug.

We have the heating on for an hour in the morning while we are up getting washed and ready for work and in the evening particularly if somebody is having a bath.


Since we have had the central heating off more in the last 2 years we have had less colds and headaches (probably due to how dehydrating central heatin is.)

Look forward to seeing more of you on the boards xx

ZTD

I think the stock answer is: It's more economical if you leave it turned off - *unless* the temperature is going to pass below the dew point. That's when the water vapour in the air condenses onto things - it then a fair amount of expensive heat to shift.

How you determine the dew point is a exercise for the reader...

lil_me

With my previous house leaving it on low (about 15) all the time worked out best for us. That had a combi system and was a bigger house. This house has the tank still and costs much more as is constantly heating the water and radiators upstairs if left on! I suppose it's trial and error really, watching how much you use and keeping a record of it.

flufff

could anyone tell me how to bleed my radiators?Lived here ten years and never bled them

lil_me

You need a bleed key http://www.abacusgas.com/air-in-system.htm bottom part of that tells you how. Just don't do what a lady here did, lost the little nut that goes in the end, she had water everywhere when she was yelling from the window for help, she was trying to screw the nut in which wasn't there (had fell on the floor)

csarina

I do not agree that leaving the heating turned off and turning it on when needed is the best way to use it, ours is on all the time, but with the thermostat set at 19, that way the house never gets cold and the heating kicks in if the temperture falls, we turn it down at night when we go to bed to 17........if you turn the heating off it takes a lot of energy to heat up the house again. Once a house is warm it will stay warm. Our gas bill for last year was just under £300. We do have an efficient boiler, its a condensing boiler that was put in 2 years ago and we also have high levels of insulation, the attic had 12" and the walls have also been done with wool blown in.

jrrowleyws

flufff wrote:

could anyone tell me how to bleed my radiators?Lived here ten years and never bled them

They only need bleeding if air has got into the system, this wont/shouldnt happen unless youve removed a radiator or had some plumbing works.

You can tell if a radiator needs bleeding as it will be cold at the top due to no water being there.

crossleydd42

Ah, the hoary old chestnut as to whether to leave the heating on all the time or let it go on and off. It does depend on all sorts of factors. As your house is not new and not that well insulated and losing heat a lot, it's a question of leaving it on at the same temperature all the time, or leaving it on all the time, but turning the thermostat down a little when you go to bed and are out during the day. Try the latter and see how you go.

squeaky

Hi all,


This question comes up quite regularly on our Utiliities board, so I'll move you across there, where I'm sure you'll find plenty of help and advice.


Good luck