Massive gas bills!17yr old boiler - to replace, or not to replace? That is the question.

jennifernil

When we just had the manual TRVs we pretty much had the ones in the bedrooms and any other mainly unused rooms right down as low as possible without turning them completely off, not sure what temperature that would equate to.   We still have 3 manual TRVs and have put them at just below 1, I have never noticed those radiators actually getting warm.  

We do not like a warm bedroom, but we do like it warm when we are watching TV, reading or other sedentary tasks.  Being very old, and having poor circulation, I find 22 degrees pleasant in the living room.   Anything below 20 degrees is chilly to me!

Last  winter we set the smart TRVs in all the rooms that were not used daily to 12 degrees, but found that when it was very cold and dull outside it took too long for some of them to warm up when we did want them warm, so this winter we are trialling 14 degrees everywhere overnight and in all the rooms that are not used daily, and a minimum of 16 degrees in normally heated rooms when we are not home during the day.

  All the  doors in bedrooms etc are left open for air circulation, but they are not otherwise ventilated, as in windows opened, much too cold in winter for that!   Plus I have  no desire to invite any spiders in.     The trickle vents in all windows are opened at other times of the year.  We never get any condensation on windows, not even when showering or cooking, we have extractor fans in all bathrooms and kitchens and always  use them.

We are probably using well above the average amount of gas, but have decided to use what makes us comfortable, even if we have to dip into savings, after all, we cannot take it with us.  So far we have not had to raid the bank accounts as what we earn from our solar panels is more than covering all our fuel bills.

markin

Are the radiators modern with fins?

jennifernil

Yes, most are double panel double convector, and sized to be able to heat the house when it is very cold out.  They give out plenty of heat, but obviously the colder the rooms are to start with, the longer they take to get up to a comfortable temperature.

ThisIsWeird

Seriously, it's pointless heating unused rooms to 14o - that is an utter waste of gas. Unless you really must keep spiders out...
Close the doors in winter, TRVs to '1', and light ventilation via trickles or possibly also vent setting.
Heat only the rooms you need to.
If/when you need to heat up a 'cold' room, say a guest is staying, then turn the rad on however early it needs to be to get it cosy.
Monitor the cold rooms now and then, and check they are ok. 

Albermarle

Despite all the good advice, the OP has not responded.......

twopenny

11 radiators and 3 towel rails, 14 in effect...........that's a lot. Is hot water being used in the 3 bathrooms?

I had a 1920s big Edwardian house, huge rooms, single glazed and it was a few years before I worked out the exact prescription for warmth v money.

Thermostat surprisingly low 13c, left on morning to night reduced the  bill and was warm right through.

Next was fiddling, draft proofed cupboard doors under stairs which drew in a draft and use a sheet over the banistairs to stop the heat going from hall to the enormous space at the half stair point. Only did this when it was really cold but it made a huge difference to consumption as the heat from the hall radiator wasn't going awol and have to keep up the temperature around the thermostat. The bedrooms were warm too.

Leaving on all day is scarey but if you get the balance right consumption is no extra to having to warm up the house from cold twice a day and heating from the ceiling down.

I've done the same in the bunaglow I'm in now. When cold heating on low all day. Took a while to work out thermostats etc. Costs a little less but everything is warm.

jennifernil

ThisIsWeird said:

Seriously, it's pointless heating unused rooms to 14o - that is an utter waste of gas. Unless you really must keep spiders out...
Close the doors in winter, TRVs to '1', and light ventilation via trickles or possibly also vent setting.
Heat only the rooms you need to.
If/when you need to heat up a 'cold' room, say a guest is staying, then turn the rad on however early it needs to be to get it cosy.
Monitor the cold rooms now and then, and check they are ok. 

Yes…..no spiders allowed!   I have a phobia when it comes to spiders, moths and daddy long legs!  Irrational I know, but there you are.  And vent position on our windows would allow even a skinny mouse in, never mind bugs, so windows are firmly closed.

I hear what you say about heating unused rooms, but what we do works for us.  If doors are closed then I find the rooms can get foosty after a while, so doors are open to allow air circulation throughout the house and temperatures are set to what we feel is a reasonable minimum.  The radiators in those rooms almost never come on as the house is well insulated, including the floors, and all those rooms are in one area of the house, not next to any heated rooms.  3 of them have manual TRVs set to less than 1, one room which is used sporadically, and the bathroom in that area have smart TRVs now on 14 degrees.

Today we have had no heating on since 09.15 and the coldest room, a downstairs north facing bathroom is showing 16 degrees.  The warmest  room, the south facing lounge upstairs is at 22 degrees…..it must have been sunny……it is where we are  visiting at present.  Yesterday was very sunny, the lounge was showing 26 degrees mid afternoon, the heating did not kick in at all yesterday evening.

At  present we are on a fix with Octopus at less than the price cap, total fuel DD is set at £160 per month, which. to be comfortable,  we find acceptable .

Better to spend the savings now than for them to end up in the Government coffers!

ThisIsWeird

jennifernil said:

 I have a phobia when it comes to spiders, moths and daddy long legs!  Irrational I know, but there you are.  And vent position on our windows would allow even a skinny mouse in, never mind bugs, so windows are firmly closed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTb-pRSqkbA

silverwhistle

I'm glad some of you mentioned your locations as here on the South coast in Hampshire I haven't needed the heating on at all in my 3 bed terrace and I've only seen it below 19 in the lounge a couple of times before solar gain does its work and it's back to 19 again! I normally heat the house with a wood burner and nest in the lounge, but even there I've only done one test burning this autumn when hosting a guest. I find some of the figures quoted here horrific! It would be interesting to quantify the assistance from neighbours you get from being a terraced house.

£50 a month DD and nearly £250 in credit, and that's also running my car, so no petrol bills either.