Which bit of my home should I heat?

stellata

i cant decide

MikeJXE

I would go with the multi fuel burner as much as you can, get a heat fan on the top and open doors to other rooms when it gets warm enough in there 

theoretica

If you have already got a shed of fuel and it will be no use to you or refund/sale after April, then using that up seems a no-cost proposition. But you would want some hot water for a shower/bath wouldn't you? 

ariarnia

have you considered maybe a mixed model? 

you could temp down low in the kitchen/bathroom. heat a tank of water every other day and turn the rad off in the bedroom of 'zone 1'. 

then also light the stove and sleep in 'zone 2' 

reasons i'm thinking are

you get your baths and dont freeze on the loo but also use less gas. 

you already have the fuel paid for (or if it was free). if your thinking about moving out this year anyway then what are the chances you'll want to take the fuel with you or you'll get any real money for it?

for us we use the stove most days and dont actually find it a lot of work when we get into it (we light it about 3/4 in the afternoon until about 10 and burn wood so only have to empty it maybe every 3 or 4 days)

letting the stove burn until about 10 means the room is still warm when we get up and start moving in the morning. 

FreeBear

stellata said: If I really want to work hard I can light the stove in Zone 2, (which also has a perfectly comfortable sofabed) get it cosy burning all day, then sleep in there at night only dodging out to use the bathroom in Zone 1. (If I am regularly using Zone 2, Zone 3 is switched off). I have a shed full of fuel.

Unless the stove is room sealed (i.e. draws its air in from outside via a duct), you shouldn't really be sleeping in the same room. But you do have a working Carbon Monoxide (that is CO, not CO2) alarm in the lounge, don't you.

Depending on how much you are paying for solid fuel, it may well be cheaper to bung a shovel of coal or log on rather than using the GCH.

Long term, invest a bit of money in plugging all the cold draughts and improving the insulation in the older part of the house. Depending on how much of the work you are able/willing to do yourself, it needn't cost a fortune.

markin

The E7 option seems the cheapest 'easy' option, but i would still have the GCH set to around 14c to keep the damp out and the kitchen bearable, Is the a TRV so you can turn down the spare bedroom?

And the system must need balancing or flushing if the main bed rad is cold, or the TRV is stuck and needs tapping, or it just needs bleeding.

Is it just you, and home all day?

stellata

Yes just me and WFH mostly. The main bed rad has been tinkered with countless times by heating people but still doesn't work. No TRVs but I can turn off the spare bed one and close the door. Is 14 a minimum for keeping the house safe? 

EssexHebridean

Who on Earth told you that about storage heaters? Definitely not true IMO - and particularly if - as it sounds - your SH is a high reheat retention model. I’m assuming it is because you say it keeps the room warm all day. 

All our heating here is storage heaters - and while we clearly have a smaller property than you we’ve run right through the winter with just two in operation, one of which is older style (but still new-ish) and the other is a HHR Quantum. The most we’ve spent on electric on any single day this winter is around £6 if I remember rightly - that includes hot water, all other use (and the dehumidifier I believe too) so really not bank-breaking. 

markin

12c is minimum recommended usually by insurance company for an empty home, but you will be living in it and releasing water from washing up and cooking, do you use a tumble dryer? Also most fridge/freezers and dryers need 10-18c to work efficiently.

I guess you could set it to 6c-10c and run a de-humidifier?


What boiler is the and the age? Im guessing its time to replace it, Install TRV's and replace the rads, Is it micro bore pipe, 6 - 10mm, rather than 15mm?

Could the system be extended to cover the Zone 2 lounge?

Mstty

Have you read the post below? I don't propose you go to that extreme but there are some very good ideas on how to keep warm without heating and you could combine this with your energy saving.

Secondly and always an emotive subject but with such a challenging house to heat have you considered selling up and buying an energy efficient maybe smaller property?

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6334019/how-to-live-without-heating-save-000s/p59

stellata

Yes I have definitely considered selling up but my job means I really can't for a couple of years at the best guess. It's certainly not a big house and a very weird layout but I like my neighbours and the area. The boiler is only about 7 years old and the rads were replaced too but some of the pipework is a bit dodgy. I don't get visible mould, always dry outdoors if possible, have a dryer for when its not, and am a keen dehumidifier fan. the house is never damp, its at the top of a hill and on a very dry spot IYSWIM. I also open windows every day. Could there be invisible mould? I dont want to damage myhouse by leaving the CH off but neither do i want to pay £££ if I dont have to. I was brought up in an unheated cottage (ice on windows yada yada) so I'm pretty cold tolerant but dont want to trash my house. Never had mildew or anything like that.