Big, cold, expensive house!

BUFF

Moneysavingdoc said:

Currently the house is zoned upstairs and downstairs with an on/off thermostat on each level. The Drayton controls only allow you to set timings for the heating being on or off. This means that if you want to allow a cooler temperature overnight you have to turn the thermostats down before bed and then turn them up again when you wake up (but then the house doesn't warm up before the kids have even left for school). Alternatively you can set the controls to have the heating off at night and come up before we get up (but then the temperature plunges to below 10c in the interim).
I need new controls that allow you to program different temperatures at different times. The vsmart looks good but doesn't allow 2 zones. Will that be a problem? Any other systems compatible with a valliant ecotec that people recommend? Thanks

Drayton Wiser zoned system https://shop.se.com/uk/en/thermostat-kit-wiser-with-3-channel-hubr-and-2-room-thermostats-wt734r9k0902.html? Shop around & you will get it cheaper (sadly you have probably just missed most of the best deals for Black Friday). get it installed by an accredited installer & Drayton will up the warranty to 5 years.
You can also add "smart" TRVs to it if you want which will be able to individually call for heat or run their own heating schedule.

Ally_E.

I'm living in one of these large and hard to heat houses. 1930s, detached, 2 bay windows, original front door with original very pretty, but inefficient letter box that lets in a lot of cold air, air bricks everywhere, open fireplaces, original steel windows, solid wall construction.

So far the things we've done were gets a chimney sheep. Don't just plug it with a pillow or board it, this can cause damp problems. The chimney sheep is breathable, but stops draughts.

Secondary glazing around original windows until we can replace with doubleglazing. 

All internal doors always closed from November to April.

Dehumidifier moves around the house from September to May. Dehumidify the bedroom where someone was sleeping first thing in the AM. Depending on the weather, you might need 45-120min for this. It's dry now, so it's 45min at the moment.

Thermal curtains and blinds, these get closed at as soon as it starts getting dark. 

Unused rooms or areas with radiators like the landing or the unused bathroom get their TRVs put on 1.5. Keeps the temp around 15-16C max.

Breathable insulation stuck into the airbrick vent (these are very large in our house and bring in too much cold air).

Boiler flow temperature set at 55C and not letting the house cool down too much during the night.

Tado smart thermostat. Before we got this, if the heating was off during the night the house could cool down to 10-11C. It took forever to bring the fabric of the house back up to temperature. Now nighttime temp is 15.2C and daytime is 18C.

House came with a woodburner and we use this as often as possible during the winter. Can keep the living room at 19C while the rest of the house can stay at 16C.