Installing a smart-thermostat when you don't have a thermostat

Andrew_Ryan_89

Hi all and excuse my nativity in this field. I have a relatively old boiler (probably more than 10 years old) and how I control my heating is by manually turn on the boiler and turning knobs on the radiators. I want to install a smart thermostat not in the same room as the boiler and wanted to know if that can be done relatively simply as I currently don't have a thermostat.

Edit - Thanks guys for the responses. One other questions I forgot to ask. The boiler has dial for the radiator, I am assuming this controls the heat? As mentioned, I don't have a thermostat and control the heat of the radiators by twisting nobs on the radiator. With a smart thermostat in this situation, will it still control the temperature in the house?

silvercar

We had hive installed to work with a boiler that had no thermostat. Worked fine.

Alex1983

Easy enough, you'll have your timer replaced with a wireless receiver and then a smart thermostat will communicate with it wirelessly.

getmore4less

Are you sure there is no controller/timer/thermostat?

should relatively simple once you have the details about what you do have.

I_have_spoken

>I control my heating is by manually turn on the boiler and turning knobs on the radiators<

Doesn't sound like it'll work, you need thermostatic valves and a basic controller with a "call for heat input" to the boiler to use a smart unit

Strider590

You don't need a smart thermostat, all they really do is put a stop to stupid people who don't know how a thermostat works.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/10/nation-buffoons-thermostats-central-heating

My parents don't know how to work a thermostat and I have to keep reminding the GF that turning it up to 30 degrees does not make the house warm up faster.

Le_Kirk

Strider590 wrote: »

You don't need a smart thermostat, all they really do is put a stop to stupid people who don't know how a thermostat works.

The OP doesn't have any sort of control for the boiler apart from manually turning it on and off so would not be subject to the thermostat gremlin (and I wholly sympathise with those who have to live with thermostat twiddlers!!)

Strider590

Le_Kirk wrote: »

The OP doesn't have any sort of control for the boiler apart from manually turning it on and off so would not be subject to the thermostat gremlin (and I wholly sympathise with those who have to live with thermostat twiddlers!!)

Well what i'm saying is that a simple £30 wireless thermostat in series with the switch that turns it on, would solve the issue.

And yes, if it has a switch to turn on, then it can be thermostat controlled, because that's all a thermostat is, an automatic switch.

Alex1983

Wether you have a timer now or it's wired permanently straight to the boiler, a new timer/ thermostat can be fitted very easily.

Smart thermostats aren't for everyone, I personally have hive and use it remotely a lot as we are frequently staying out unexpectedly and can turn the heating off which saves us from wasting energy when we're not there.

Andrew_Ryan_89

getmore4less wrote: »

Are you sure there is no controller/timer/thermostat?

should relatively simple once you have the details about what you do have.

There is a timer on the boiler and a dial with a flame.

Thank you to for all the other responses too.

Andrew_Ryan_89

getmore4less wrote: »

Are you sure there is no controller/timer/thermostat?

should relatively simple once you have the details about what you do have.

Strider590 wrote: »

You don't need a smart thermostat, all they really do is put a stop to stupid people who don't know how a thermostat works.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/10/nation-buffoons-thermostats-central-heating

My parents don't know how to work a thermostat and I have to keep reminding the GF that turning it up to 30 degrees does not make the house warm up faster.

I skimmed through the article and not getting what people find difficult about using a thermostat...

Can someone elaborate?