Going on Holiday

pamsdish

Hi all, I am going to my friends for 3 weeks over Christmas/New Year,I have thermostats on all my radiators except 1, what is the most economical way to set timer/temperature settings to stop possibility of freezing pipes while away.

macman

Does not your boiler or programmer have a frost stat fitted-all modern ones do.
The pipes runs most likely to freeze are those outside, or unlagged ones in your loft. Get those sorted first to reduce the risk.

[Deleted User]

my next door neighbour flooded his house and wrecked it, he had central heating and extremely good loft insulation more or less isolating the lagged pipes tucked away in the loft, and thats where the burst was. the thicker the loft insulation, the better chance of a burst. I would turn the water off at stop tap, drain the system and leave the heating off. any bursts then it would be minimal damage. Our lagged outdoor hose pipe connection has burst every winter the last few years, so I am draining it and switching off this year

pamsdish

I want the heating coming on and off as do not want bungalow to get very cold, was thinking turn rad valves to say 2, thermostat down to 10 and set it to come on every 6 hrs for 15 mins ??? Would that be enough. I have a surestop valve on water to stop any water coming in totally.

espresso

pamsdish wrote: »

I want the heating coming on and off as do not want bungalow to get very cold, was thinking turn rad valves to say 2, thermostat down to 10 and set it to come on every 6 hrs for 15 mins ??? Would that be enough. I have a surestop valve on water to stop any water coming in totally.

Why would you set it to come on every 6 hrs for 15 mins when you have set the thermostat! :mad:

Do you really think that allowing the heating to operate for 1 hour each day will protect from freezing?:rotfl:

macman

sacsquacco wrote: »

my next door neighbour flooded his house and wrecked it, he had central heating and extremely good loft insulation more or less isolating the lagged pipes tucked away in the loft, and thats where the burst was. the thicker the loft insulation, the better chance of a burst. I would turn the water off at stop tap, drain the system and leave the heating off. any bursts then it would be minimal damage. Our lagged outdoor hose pipe connection has burst every winter the last few years, so I am draining it and switching off this year

This would only apply if you have a conventional boiler and a tank in the loft. With a combi, no pipework up there to freeze.

macman

pamsdish wrote: »

I want the heating coming on and off as do not want bungalow to get very cold, was thinking turn rad valves to say 2, thermostat down to 10 and set it to come on every 6 hrs for 15 mins ??? Would that be enough. I have a surestop valve on water to stop any water coming in totally.

Pointless giving it 15 minute bursts, if you want it warmwhen you return then just set it to come on say 12 hours before you return.
Frost stat if fitted should do the rest, assuming that you have no unlagged pipes to freeze.

pamsdish

Do you really think that allowing the heating to operate for 1 hour each day will protect from freezing?

Yes thats why I asked what was obviously a stupid question.

Loft is insulated as are the outside walls, just asked a stupid question.

espresso

pamsdish wrote: »

Do you really think that allowing the heating to operate for 1 hour each day will protect from freezing?

Yes thats why I asked what was obviously a stupid question.

Loft is insulated as are the outside walls, just asked a stupid question.

Perhaps if you learnt what a thermostat does, you would then realise why programming it for 15 min bursts every 6 hours while you are away is totally pointless!

pamsdish

Controls the temperature

macman

espresso's point is that the timer overrides the stat, so if the temp drops below the level set on the 'stat, but the timer is off, no heat will be produced. Equally, no point in giving it 6 hourly 15 minute bursts if the temp is already warmer than required to cause freezing.
If it's going to freeze, it will freeze during the hours of darkness.
If you want it to react to a minimum temp set on the 'stat (say 10C), you need the timer on constant.