New oil heating system - what programmer to get?

greenbee

I've recently moved, and the house currently has more 'potential' than comforts. We've about to install the heating (hopefully before winter sets in properly) and going through the estimates in detail to attempt to get sensible breakdowns and specifications from the installers. The leading contenders have a good reputation for their work, but their paperwork lacks detail - and I like to get this sorted out in advance to avoid any issues at a later date.

So far they've specified a Worcester Greenstar Camray 25/32 Utility System boiler (to live in the garage) with an Elson Zircon 170l unvented cylinder. Ten new rads, 2 towel rails (details TBC as sizes need to be confirmed for each room), with Altecnic Eres TRVs. (If there are any concerns about any of these I'd love to get feedback!)

As for the controls they've just said ''all new controls will be fitted helping you to control your heating and hot water separately and a new room thermostat will also be fitted".

However, I'd like to have a bit more input into this... as we're putting a completely new system in, the cost of the programmer and room stat are a small part of the overall cost, so I'd like to consider options including the ability to programme each day separately (I have variable working patterns), holiday settings, and different temperatures for different times of day.

If money were no object, what other features would you include in your wish list and/or what make/model of programmer would you recommend.

Sadly money is a consideration, but I'd like to understand all the options before making a decision, rather than end up with something that doesn't do what we need or want!

All feedback appreciated

matelodave

I'd certainly be looking at a programmable thermostat which would allow you to control the heating times & temperatures to suit your lifestyle. Many of them have a holiday mode which would allow you to go away for a few days (or even weeks) and they will maintain a frost protection function whilst you are away and turn the heating back on for when you arrive home.

If you are prepared to spend a bit more then it's possible to get units that can connect into the internet via your router (possibly even via Wi-Fi to save having Ethernet cabling around the house) and allow you to remotely check on the system and adjust the temperatures using your smartphone.

Make sure though that they wire it in properly, its easy with a combi boiler but some boilers have separate timeswitches and I've known several people who've had the programmable stat wired in series with the timer which has negated the effect of the programmable stat and in one case made it lose it's program every time the time switch turned off.

Try to decide what functionality you want and have a trawl around the internet to see what's available and download the installation & operating instructions to see if they do what you want - there are hundreds out there of all shapes, functions & prices but it's likely that your heating contractor will just offer the cheapest which may not be the best for you. Ask him what he's proposing to supply and why.

Our system has underfloor heating with a programmable stat in each room (8 in total) which is a bit over the top and its an irritation to have to manually change the time on all eight in spring & autumn and to set them to holiday mode when we go away. It took a bit of time to set them all up but it's a bit of a faff if I want to modify the programs in the various rooms. Fortunately we are at home all day every day so I didn't have to have individual daily programs for each room as well as well The u'f heating is controlled by motorised valves on the manifolds so TRVs wouldn't work - in hindsight I would have possibly spent a bit more and had a system which could control all stats from a central point.

G_M

Radiator thermostats (Building Regs require them anyway) but certainly in rooms you don't want to heat so much or at all at some times.

I now swear by my digistat. Instead of a wired in room stat, it is a mobile wireless stat (can move from room to room.

You can pre-set different desired temperatures at different times of day (totally flexible). It monitors the actual temperature and fires up the heating when actually temp is lower than pre-set temp.

(also has override function)

greenbee

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm currently at the stage of being overwhelmed by choice, and needing to try to work out the best value for money solution in the long-term as well as working out the short term costs.

A mobile room stat sounds sensible. Most of the time I work from home, in one room - because the work is sedentary and I'm required to use my brain, I need that room warmer than the rest of the house, but only during working hours. Outside of working hours I need the rest of the house warm and the office doesn't need heating. I do also sometimes travel for work, as does my OH (often at short notice) so obviously things change if I'm away but he's not (he still needs heating when he gets home apparently) if we're both away at the same time.

I hadn't realised how difficult choosing radiators was either...

I think I could probably spend as much on the heating system as I've spent on the house if I'm not careful!