Leave pilot light on?? or off

ipri

Hi..just had new gas fire installed. I have the option of turning the pilot light off when the fire is off. Should we turn this off when we go to bed for safety / cost reasons.


Also...which is cheaper, running gas Central H. Rads. in living room...or using gas fire?


Thanks.

penrhyn

I thought pilot lights died out years ago being replaced by piezo electric or battery ignition.

On the other point it depends on the type of gas fire its efficiency and controllability.

ipri

Thanks....The pilot is ignited by a piezo system...then the flame stays on...unless I turn it off...hence my query.

victor2

ipri wrote: »

Hi..just had new gas fire installed. I have the option of turning the pilot light off when the fire is off. Should we turn this off when we go to bed for safety / cost reasons.


Also...which is cheaper, running gas Central H. Rads. in living room...or using gas fire?


Thanks.

Central heating systems are not designed to heat just one room. IF you are only heating one room, then I suspect you would find a gas fire cheaper to run. The heat from the gas fire goes directly into the room, apart from the small amount lost up the flue. A central heating boiler is heating water, which is then pumped around the house to the radiator turned on. It has little chance of matching the performance per £ of the gas fire in that one room.

shammyjack

victor2 wrote: »

Central heating systems are not designed to heat just one room. IF you are only heating one room, then I suspect you would find a gas fire cheaper to run. The heat from the gas fire goes directly into the room, apart from the small amount lost up the flue. A central heating boiler is heating water, which is then pumped around the house to the radiator turned on. It has little chance of matching the performance per £ of the gas fire in that one room.

You are wrong !

I have tried this out and a modern boiler modulating correctly with only 1 radiator working uses less than half the gas that a gas fire does to maintain my room at 20c .

oldskoo1

shammyjack wrote: »

You are wrong !

I have tried this out and a modern boiler modulating correctly with only 1 radiator working uses less than half the gas that a gas fire does to maintain my room at 20c .

Yes that's assuming you have a modulating boiler than can also adjust pump speed like you said

But it also depends on the gas fire. Glass fronted balanced flue fires are very efficient, loose little heat and controlled can be pretty cheap way to heat a room. They only become expensive when you enjoy the heat and let it half cook you

victor2

shammyjack wrote: »

You are wrong !

I have tried this out and a modern boiler modulating correctly with only 1 radiator working uses less than half the gas that a gas fire does to maintain my room at 20c .

I am happy to stand corrected. I haven't tested my opinion as I removed our gas fire and blocked off the chimney breast many years ago.
So, your results suggest that a modern boiler and single radiator could maintain a room at a steady temperature for less than a thermostatically controlled gas fire holding the same temperature with similar outside conditions?
I was perhaps assuming that someone using a gas fire would keep themselves warm as toast, when in reality, using the central heating to maintain a similar level would cost more. The argument that you could reduce cost by using the central heating to maintain a lower, but still comfortable, temperature would then definitely carry some weight.