Turning of heating to one room, what would it save.

Discussion in 'Eco Talk' started by MGW, Aug 4, 2017.

  1. MGW

    MGW Screwfix Select

    I have eTRV fitted to two rooms, the living room is one, and it is not used over night, so I have set it to lowest permitted temperature of 16C over night, however before Summer resulted in whole central heating being turned off, in the morning before living room turned on again, it never seemed to cool to 16C so over 9 hours, 9 pm to 6 am the living room would not even cool 4 degrees C.

    However turn off the central heating completely and yes the house cools much faster, as to why I am not sure, could be the eTRV does not turn completely off, or the room gets heat from other rooms.

    However the average temperature drop is around 2 degrees, and I wonder how long it would take to save what the eTRV heat cost?
     
  2. Bob Rathbone

    Bob Rathbone Screwfix Select

    The TRV will not turn off completely and will respond to a fall in room temperature by allowing hot water to enter the radiator. It is doing it's job. You should not completely turn off the heat to a room, just reduce it. That in itself will reduce heat losses to outside and save money on the gas bill.
     
  3. MGW

    MGW Screwfix Select

    I fitted eTRV's because mother at 92 needs a controlled environment, they work well in her house, however I was considering fitting them in my own house, my heating bill is at the moment much reduced as house set to 12°C all day long, basic anti-frost. However although 2°C difference dropping from 20°C to 18°C will save money not sure it would be that much? I would need to do a lot of work, and I am considering if it's worth it.

    At the moment the ground floor has 4 radiators, one in the kitchen, and three in the other room, two standard and one Myson. At the moment all three are controlled by a wall thermostat which turns off the boiler, the boiler is rather old, and at some point it will need replacing, however since so reliable in no hurry.

    However once replaced the Myson is a problem, it allows water to flow freely through it at the moment and the hot water return when fan is not activated is not a problem with the old boiler, it activates after the front door is opened and is behind the front door, it is only used as a boost because of the noise, the temperature is set low so it only runs after the door has been opened, but the central thermostat is not that good at controlling the temperature there is a high hysteresis even though only one meter from one of the radiators.

    I will do nothing until I return home, however if I can formulate a plan before I return it would make life easier.

    Mothers house really caught me out, oddly the simple TRV's upstairs have worked well, it does seem heat from down stairs is resulting in a very even heat upstairs. However downstairs has been a problem, both rooms had huge swings mainly due to sun through bay windows, the standard TRV was allowing the temperature in living room to swing between 18°C and 25°C as they were so slow to react, the eTRV heads have reduced it to 20°C to 23°C if set at a single temperature, so are far better, before in winter I have actually walked into the room and it has been at 27°C this is not simply the central heating, in the morning the central heating has fired up the radiator has got hot to warm the room, then the sun has come out, and the TRV was too slow closing. Speed is very important when shutting down due to sun in the room. It is not only the stored heat in the radiator but the fact it is slow to turn off.

    I have looked at the actuators for under floor heating and wonder if they would fit on a TRV so I could use something like the STC-1000 to control it? The eTRV heads are too good, they try to reduce the hysteresis but in my case it does the reverse. OK I know it's down to bay window and sun, and now it is within limits, but still could be improved.
     
  4. Bob Rathbone

    Bob Rathbone Screwfix Select

    MGW, if your boiler is old, then I would ignore TRV's and spend the money on a new boiler, you will reduce the heating bill.
     
    KIAB likes this.
  5. N.W

    N.W Member

    Is the room stat located upstairs or downstairs? I'm guessing it is upstairs and if it is,you might be better relocating it to a downstairs location
     
    KIAB likes this.
  6. MGW

    MGW Screwfix Select

    Thermostats fitted one in hall down stairs and one in kitchen on side of oven, the boiler is condensate type, at moment hall thermostat does main boiler control, the one in kitchen give a boost first thing in the morning. The programmer turns off heating completely at night, however the whole idea of altering temperatures through the day seems flawed, the house is far too well insulated, the temperature at best may drop 2°C which is hardly worth doing.
     

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