Central Heating - Gas consumption

FreeBear

acl_r said: it takes so long to go from 16 to 17.5 already… I feel like I am heating for outside at this point.

It takes me about an hour to raise the temperature in *this house by 1°C. So from 16°C to 17.5°C would take around 1h 30 mins. To get there any faster, I could increase the flow temperature from 50°C to 70°C or even 80°C - Messes up boiler efficiency, and increases the risk of scale build up within the CH system & boiler (in a hard water area).

Fitting larger radiators all round would achieve the same thing as increasing the flow temperature, but there is a big jump in price when going from a 600mm x 1200mm radiator to anything bigger (already have them in two rooms).

Next step up in both cost and upheaval is to insulate the heck out of the place to cut heat losses - Doing this on a room by room basis as I redecorate.

As you are in rented accommodation, the last two options probably won't work for you - It wouldn't hurt to ask the landlord to fit larger radiators in the rooms you use most. If this is a top floor flat with minimal loft insulation, it would be sensible for the landlord to put a load more insulation in up there. It would improve the EPC rating which would allow him to charge the next tenant a higher rent. If the landlord isn't prepared to improve insulation or heating, thick thermal curtains over the windows will help (tuck them behind any radiators that are under the windows). Also plug any cold draughts where ever you can.

acl_r

@FreeBear It takes ages to heat up from 16 to 17.5, wayyyy more than 1h30… i mean at the moment as it’s freezing. It wasn’t too bad before, but now it’s just taking ages.

The landlord doesn’t want to invest anything in the flat, he had to change the boiler has the previous one wasn’t working… and the previous one was 50/60 years old (not joking) sooo I know he won’t do anything for insulation… I have a small electric heater that I use to top up sometimes as the heat just goes out… but as I said I wasn’t sure of the average gas unit used per day for a 1 bed flat…

jvjack

What is the boiler temperature (flow rate i think) set at. I had to put mine up from 50 degrees to 60 degrees to get living room up to just 19 degrees last winter and have left it at that so far. It's all a bit different for everyone depending how long it's on for etc but just a thought 

acl_r

jvjack said:

What is the boiler temperature (flow rate i think) set at. I had to put mine up from 50 degrees to 60 degrees to get living room up to just 19 degrees last winter and have left it at that so far. It's all a bit different for everyone depending how long it's on for etc but just a thought 

It’s on 60 too… I think it’s just the insulation and the radiator size that isn’t good… but I can’t do anything about that… 18 is alright but still takes ages to warm up… I will probably buy thermal curtains as suggested above.

MikeJXE

acl_r said:

jvjack said:

What is the boiler temperature (flow rate i think) set at. I had to put mine up from 50 degrees to 60 degrees to get living room up to just 19 degrees last winter and have left it at that so far. It's all a bit different for everyone depending how long it's on for etc but just a thought 

It’s on 60 too… I think it’s just the insulation and the radiator size that isn’t good… but I can’t do anything about that… 18 is alright but still takes ages to warm up… I will probably buy thermal curtains as suggested above.

You could try warmer clothes  

For the last month my heating as been set at 20/21 and 15 when in bed 

I bought some fleece jogging bottoms on Saturday and have not needed the heating above 18 despite it's freezing outside 

QrizB

acl_r said:

I have a small electric heater that I use to top up sometimes as the heat just goes out… but as I said I wasn’t sure of the average gas unit used per day for a 1 bed flat…

3.5 cubic metres of gas a day is quite normal.

Electricity is between 3x and 4x more expensive than gas, so you're probably better off running the gas heating for longer rather than trying to top up with electricity.

acl_r said:

The landlord doesn’t want to invest anything in the flat, he had to change the boiler has the previous one wasn’t working

What make and model of boiler is your new one?

jvjack

Didn't know about thermal curtains. Had a look and am going to get some of these . The reviews are good Pencil Pleat Thermal Curtain Linings | Dunelm

MikeJXE How do you keep heating to 21 degrees. Edit  How many kwh does it take in this colder spell these last 3 days. You have said it's well insulated flat so guess thats how.
Edit

Alnat1

I can recommend the Dunelm thermal linings that you attach to the back of the curtains you already have. Cheaper than buying a new set of curtains with built in thermal linings and you can swap them over and reuse them if you do change the curtains.

There are 2 ways to fit them depending on the type of curtains you have. If your present curtains have header tape with small plastic hooks, you attach the linings to the tape with more hooks. If you have eyelet curtains on a pole, the pack contains extra rings to fit on the pole and the linings attach to the rings, again with those small plastic hooks.

A few days ago I checked the temperature in the bay behind our curtains, it was 11.1C. The room was 18C.

MikeJXE

jvjack said:

Didn't know about thermal curtains. Had a look and am going to get some of these . The reviews are good Pencil Pleat Thermal Curtain Linings | Dunelm

MikeJXE How do you keep heating to 21 degrees. Edit  How many kwh does it take in this colder spell these last 3 days. You have said it's well insulated flat so guess thats how.
Edit

I don't know how it gets up to 21, my son (gas registered) set the boiler up when I moved in February 

I think it's thanks to the insulation too, It only drops to 18 over night 

I don't have smart meters so I'm Not sure of kWh over the last 3 days, I take readings weekly and they have been 145, 122,145 145 over the last month 

Looking at my Hive mini smart thermostat graphs, yesterday first day at 18  my heating was active for 3h 56m everyday before that was over 5h so I guess something may be working out well, it's a bit colder now too so Saturday I will know the change if any, last night my temperature dropped from 18 to 17 which it was set as a minimum 

jvjack

Thanks MikeJXE  wish one of my family was a plumber or  electrician etc. I'd be calling them all the time.
Alnat1 thats big temp difference.  This is my curtain clip. Sorry about big picture. Will have to make it smaller. I think the pencil  pleat link ones shoud do it. But wow thats a big temp difference behind the curtain.