Elderly parents with no room thermostat, only radiator valves. How best to control it just now.

jem16

My parents have an older combi boiler system where there is no room thermostat and only TRVs on each radiator. It’s very cold just now and heating is normally off from 10:30pm to 6:30am. That’s usually fine for them but not just now as Dad is complaining house is cold especially in the morning whilst it takes time to heat up. House is an old one with high ceilings. 

Neither of them are really able to turn off radiators individually now. So I’m wondering how it could be controlled if left on overnight so it doesn’t get too cold but equally doesn’t get too warm with heat building up?

FreeBear

Going to assume there is a timer somewhere to control the boiler. Probably the best thing to do is get a programmable thermostat/timer fitted - This will allow you (your parents) to set different temperatures throughout the day/week. This would have the potential to save 10-15% on heating costs.

I'd suggest looking at a single channel Drayton Wiser. You can set it to have a minimum overnight temperature (say 16°C), going up to 18°C in the morning, and then a boost to 20°C in the evening. Probably cost less with that sort of schedule than the one they are running at present.

Sea_Shell

They could always just bring the "on" time forward, to say 6am.   So giving the house longer to heat up in the morning.

jem16

FreeBear said:

Going to assume there is a timer somewhere to control the boiler. Probably the best thing to do is get a programmable thermostat/timer fitted - This will allow you (your parents) to set different temperatures throughout the day/week. This would have the potential to save 10-15% on heating costs.

I'd suggest looking at a single channel Drayton Wiser. You can set it to have a minimum overnight temperature (say 16°C), going up to 18°C in the morning, and then a boost to 20°C in the evening. Probably cost less with that sort of schedule than the one they are running at present.

Yes there is one of the simple analogue timers on the boiler - the one with the small pins. 

Yes I’d probably agree with getting a programmable thermostat fitted but that will take time and it’s cold just now. I’d need to set the temperatures far higher than your suggestion though but I get the idea. 

jem16

Sea_Shell said:

They could always just bring the "on" time forward, to say 6am.   So giving the house longer to heat up in the morning.

I’ve done that already. Was set at 7:30 and now set for 6:30. 

The boiler has two simple controls, one for heating and one for hot water. I’m wondering if it might work turning on boiler for 24 hours but turning down heating controller?

FreeBear

jem16 said:

Sea_Shell said:

They could always just bring the "on" time forward, to say 6am.   So giving the house longer to heat up in the morning.

I’ve done that already. Was set at 7:30 and now set for 6:30. 

The boiler has two simple controls, one for heating and one for hot water. I’m wondering if it might work turning on boiler for 24 hours but turning down heating controller?

Without a thermostat, setting the boiler to run for 24 hours is very, very inefficient.

macman

Fitting a wireless programmer (not just a room 'stat) is maybe an hours work for a sparky, if you find one now then they'll have the benefit all winter, and it will pay for itself.
As stated above, running it without this is just not efficient.

jem16

FreeBear said:

jem16 said:

Sea_Shell said:

They could always just bring the "on" time forward, to say 6am.   So giving the house longer to heat up in the morning.

I’ve done that already. Was set at 7:30 and now set for 6:30. 

The boiler has two simple controls, one for heating and one for hot water. I’m wondering if it might work turning on boiler for 24 hours but turning down heating controller?

Without a thermostat, setting the boiler to run for 24 hours is very, very inefficient.

Yes I realise it will be very inefficient. I was just looking for a stop gap solution until I can sort out a better one. 

Apodemus

Depending on the type of programmer that they have for the boiler, it might be a very quick and easy DIY job to fit a modern wireless Thermostatic controller such as Hive/Nest/Drayton etc.  Certainly worth investigating in the short-term.

jem16

Apodemus said:

Depending on the type of programmer that they have for the boiler, it might be a very quick and easy DIY job to fit a modern wireless Thermostatic controller such as Hive/Nest/Drayton etc.  Certainly worth investigating in the short-term.

It’s just the basic analogue type timer on the boiler itself. You move the pins in or out to select on/off times. 

Apodemus

jem16 said:

Apodemus said:

Depending on the type of programmer that they have for the boiler, it might be a very quick and easy DIY job to fit a modern wireless Thermostatic controller such as Hive/Nest/Drayton etc.  Certainly worth investigating in the short-term.

It’s just the basic analogue type timer on the boiler itself. You move the pins in or out to select on/off times. 

Ah, sorry! I see that I missed that in your earlier post.  That makes it slightly trickier.  Possibly still just about DIY-able if it is an oil boiler, but since the boiler cover would be coming off I don't think you would be allowed to do it yourself if it is gas.