Central Heating Management System

Bluski

Hi


The above title seems to be a grander title for the Magic Box type offerings for central heating systems.
Does anyone have any info / feedback on an outfit called "Enviroglaze" Chelmsford who are offering this system and claiming a 30% saving on your gas bill .


Basically its a box,pump and as many new radiator control valves as you have radiators .


The system was featured on the September 4th episode of Grand designs .


I have looked on their website but apart from a nice picture of the box and a list of benefits there is precious little data and NO reviews from customers

System

http://www.asa.org.uk/Rulings/Adjudications/2014/3/Magic-Thermodynamic-Box-Ltd/SHP_ADJ_231310.aspx#.VBwUHJNdVx8

Likesinformation

Hi Bluski,

I had a Central Heating Management System installed in my house in July 2014 by a company called Envirosolar, based in Chelmsford. I wish I hadn't. So far, by April 2015, I have had 13 visits by Envirosolar staff to repair problems. My boiler has broken twice, a fan and a valve had to be replaced at my expense. This may have nothing to do with the CHMS but there is a grey area as to who is responsible for repairs or what is causing breakdowns. Also the system is very noisy, in my opinion. I have already been in touch with the Trading Standards regarding this installation.

facade

I fail to see how these devices "increase the efficiency"

I can see how they might save gas, by not heating the rooms as much, which is accomplished by fitting the thermostatic valves, and turning them right down everywhere except the living space (where the thermostat is), then keeping the doors shut.

Other than that, to make the system more efficient we need to recover waste heat from the flue gasses.

There is some talk about pumping faster at low temperature, I can see how that might work, you want the input and output of the boiler to be as low a temperature as possible, so you extract the most energy from the furnace (and then the flue gasses will be cooler too), but this needs the energy to be got rid of at the same rate as the boiler supplies, so you would need massive radiators to transfer the heat to the rooms at low temperature, and probably forced air over them too.

I'd save the money and just fit thermostatic radiator valves in the rooms you want cool, then look at shaving half an hour or so off the time the heating is on.

matelodave

I agree with façade. Install TRV's make sure you've got a programmable room stat to control the heating times & temperatures for when you require it. Try reducing the temperatures until is just about uncomfortable and then add a degree or two.


Only have the heating come on early enough to heat the place and make sure it goes off so that you can make use of the residual heat rather than having it flog away until bedtime - most places will retain enough heat to be comfortable until an hour or more after the heating has shut down.


You could also reduce your hot water temperature a bit and use less of it to save even more.