which is cheaper??

toria27

I know this has probably been asked before but I can't find an answer on here so thought I would ask.

We currently have our heating on all day as OH says this is better as prevents house getting too cold. When I say it is on it is not producing heat all day, the thermostat is in the hall which is always cold so we have it on 12 this only clicks on and lights the boiler when it gets really cold, the most we turn it up to is 14 and that is only when were freezing.

He says that until the boiler clicks on we are not using any gas is this correct? as the radiators are stone cold. We currently pay £35 a month on gas, and this is for the heating and cooking in a 3 bed semi house for 3 people and I am home all day does this sound ok??

Hope I explained that properly thanks

mech_2

toria27 wrote: »

We currently have our heating on all day as OH says this is better as prevents house getting too cold. When I say it is on it is not producing heat all day, the thermostat is in the hall which is always cold so we have it on 12 this only clicks on and lights the boiler when it gets really cold, the most we turn it up to is 14 and that is only when were freezing.

He says that until the boiler clicks on we are not using any gas is this correct? as the radiators are stone cold. We currently pay £35 a month on gas, and this is for the heating and cooking in a 3 bed semi house for 3 people and I am home all day does this sound ok??

Hope I explained that properly thanks

Yes you only burn gas when the boiler is fired up.

Your gas bill sounds OK to me provided the rest of the house is at a more comfortable temperature than 12-14 degrees Celsius. That would be too cold even for me!

If your hallway is cold because it's unheated, you might find the heat in the rest of the house varies a lot. Just a guess, but because the thermostat would be insulated from the radiators it's controlling, there'd be a time lag in its response.

Alternatively, if the hallway is just cold because it's drafty, it could be that money can be saved from draught-proofing the front door.

Cardew

You really have outlined the dilemma most people have with room thermostats. Sited in a cold hall and set to 12 or 14c just isn't much use for controlling the temperature in the living rooms.

Site it in the warmest rooms(normally the living rooms) and you have the opposite problem.

You should have TRVs(Thermostatic Radiator Valves) on your radiators and these are what you use to control the temperature in individual rooms.

It is the combination of the 2 thermostats that produce a flexible solution.

toria27

Firstly Thanks to both of you. The hallway does have a radiator but still remains fairly cold. We had a brand new door fitted last year and that does help a lot, it has no draughts. I have however posted on freecycle asking for some thick curtains to hang which I think would help. The other rooms are a lot warmer than 12-14 luckily although I do make sure we wear several layers in the house and after DD has gone to bed we sit with a blanket. All rooms do have TRV's and we do use these also.

Thanks again, I am just glad OH was right and we havn't been wasting money unecessarily.

Terrylw1

Thick curtains will help insulate. It's an old fashioned remedy but it works.

You can't really comment on the bill if it's billed to estimates. So, make sure you are billed to an actual reading as it may make your bill lower. This will aso have a knock on effect by lowering your DD's to match. Many people don't consider supplying reads every quarter but it's the first eay win you can make if the estimates are over billing you.

Cardew

toria27 wrote: »

The other rooms are a lot warmer than 12-14 luckily although I do make sure we wear several layers in the house and after DD has gone to bed we sit with a blanket. All rooms do have TRV's and we do use these also.

It is the wrong way to operate CH by using a room thermostat set to 12-14C in a cold hall to determine your warmth in the living room so you need to sit under blankets.

The room thermostat simply switches the pump on and off as it reaches the set temperature.

In the evening you could turn the hall thermostat up high - switch the hall radiator right down on the TRV - that will keep the pump running all the time and adjust the temperature of other rooms on the TRVs. As you go to bed you can turn down the room thermostat in the hall.

Personally though I think you are wrong to leave heating on 24/7(to prevent the house from cooling down) The best way is to have it on a timer(after all CH systems are fitted with timers for that very purpose) a period in the morning from just before you get up and again in the evening; with the off periods overridden as required.

toria27

Terrylw1 This is what has been worked out based on my last year. I supply a meter reading every time a bill is due as I am with EDF and do their read reduce reward scheme. I have never had an estimated reading, and if I ever get into credit in the summer they pay straight back into my account within a couple of days of me asking.

We actually have all the radiators on full, and the bedrooms get to just the right temperature, it is the down stairs that is a problem as it is open plan with the dining room and kitchen and a long lounge. I know it would not work just having the heating on in the morning and evening as I work nights so am home all day with my DD and it is too cold not to have the heating on. Also when it drops low at night (only when theres a frost) the heating comes on which stops my DD (aged 2) getting cold when we didn't do this she was waking early and was freezing. I think 12 is about right when it is cold and 14 works for us when it is freezing. It also helps prevent damp keeping the house from getting too cold as 2 of our rooms have mould on the window and down that wall.