Your home thermostat temperature poll

[gazza77]

8 minutes ago, JohnM said:

Great selfie.

[JonM]

4 hours ago, Kayakman said:

What about coal?..do people still heat with coal over there?

Sale of coal in small bags to households was made illegal last year: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/restrictions-on-sale-of-coal-and-wet-wood-for-home-burning-begin

We have oil-powered heating, but also a couple of multi-fuel stoves (wood / smokeless fuel) for when the electricity goes off - which it does reasonably often. 

[hindle xiii]

Genuinely looking for help, advice, hints and tips here.

I'd love for @Old Frightfulor @David Dockhouse Hostto tell me to get a flange dangler or a thingamajig for £3.99 from Screwfix and it'll fix all my home heating dilemmas!

[David Dockhouse Host]

1 hour ago, hindle xiii said:

Genuinely looking for help, advice, hints and tips here.

I'd love for @Old Frightfulor @David Dockhouse Hostto tell me to get a flange dangler or a thingamajig for £3.99 from Screwfix and it'll fix all my home heating dilemmas!

Correctly sized rads, programmable room stat and a modern boiler is all that's required.

Lots of other fancy options, I like the WiFi elec rads but gas a third cheaper

[JohnM]

1 hour ago, hindle xiii said:

Genuinely looking for help, advice, hints and tips here.

I'd love for @Old Frightfulor @David Dockhouse Hostto tell me to get a flange dangler or a thingamajig for £3.99 from Screwfix and it'll fix all my home heating dilemmas!

You've done it now! Let this be a lesson to you!!

 

 

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

5 hours ago, JonM said:

for when the electricity goes off - which it does reasonably often. 

Genuine question.....how come it goes off?

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

47 minutes ago, David Dockhouse Host said:

Correctly sized rads, programmable room stat and a modern boiler is all that's required.

Lots of other fancy options, I like the WiFi elec rads but gas a third cheaper

Is there a way of measuring the correct amount of rads in a house?

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

On 14/12/2022 at 20:33, hindle xiii said:

Today's follow up:

I've turned down the small radiator in the conservatory to it's frost setting.

My smart metre reading is currently £4.53 for gas today.

I haven't used any hot water for a long, long time. I was my hands with cold water. All other hot water is electric shower, dishwasher, washing machine, etc.

I don't use my gas fireplace at all.

I'm going to search for some kind of home energy survey that isn't just that colourful report you get when moving house.

Edit: my boiler is 8 years old and rated B (88.8%).

How many people live in your house Hindle?....how big is it?

[gazza77]

1 hour ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

Is there a way of measuring the correct amount of rads in a house?

Size of radiator would be based on volume of a room, then adjusted for insulation levels. If you google it there a loads of calculators available to give you an approximation. Like anything though, I'm sure an expert assessment would be more accurate especially where there are nuances like lots of windows, vaulted ceilings, etc. 

[gazza77]

1 hour ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

How many people live in your house Hindle?....how big is it?

How well insulated is it? How many rooms do you actually use? Is your boiler rated b against current measures or is it that it was b at the time you got it? Double glazing? If so, how old? Have you blocked out any draughts? There are so many variables in keeping a property warm, and fixing one can actually cause a different issue, e.g. increased condensation. 

Edited December 15, 2022 by gazza77
Added more questions

[David Dockhouse Host]

1 hour ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

Is there a way of measuring the correct amount of rads in a house?

The amount is dependant on rooms largely. There are calculations for outputs owe room then you find the correct output of radiator, or emitter.

Is this what you mean?

[hindle xiii]

1 hour ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

How many people live in your house Hindle?....how big is it?

It's just me, myself and I.

Semi detached bungalow, I'd imagine circa 70m^2 tops.

 

[hindle xiii]

50 minutes ago, gazza77 said:

How well insulated is it? How many rooms do you actually use? Is your boiler rated b against current measures or is it that it was b at the time you got it? Double glazing? If so, how old? Have you blocked out any draughts? There are so many variables in keeping a property warm, and fixing one can actually cause a different issue, e.g. increased condensation. 

I have lived there nearly 7 years. I have a guarantee for the cavity wall insulation done before I moved in. The 8 year old boiler is iQE Simplicity 30. Knauf / Rockwool added across the roof void a few years ago. Conservatory replaced 5 years ago with prototype tiled conservatory system. Double glazed windows replaced 5 years ago or so. Radiators are a mix, 2 double radiators (one tiny in conservatory). 3 long, single radiators. One bathroom radiator. Cold bridging on bedroom window. Duo pitch cold timber roof, apparently roof (or just felting) needs replacing, close to agreeing to that. 1950's concrete block construction, brick skin, joisted floors. Reused hardwood flooring with good underlay in hallway to kitchen and conservatory 4 years ago, old carpeting elsewhere, big rug in conservatory. Front door stormguard door seals replaced this summer. Bathroom extraction into loft (probably should look at that), kitchen extraction hood to outside.

An ageing house in need of modernisation and more care and attention. I use all the rooms now, I changed the small bedroom (previously the kitchen during previous owner) into a drying room for clothing with a dehumidifier. The kitchen / conservatory is most in need of another radiator and probably wallpapering.

Edit: all radiators bar one in the hallway have TRV fitted. All radiators are on internal walls, not under windows.

Edited December 15, 2022 by hindle xiii

[JohnM]

I realise that (m)any appropriately qualified and rated central heating contractor(s) would  advise and quote but nevertheless, it's useful to have some input from the forum's own. 

 

[Kayakman]

26 minutes ago, hindle xiii said:

I have lived there nearly 7 years. I have a guarantee for the cavity wall insulation done before I moved in. The 8 year old boiler is iQE Simplicity 30. Knauf / Rockwool added across the roof void a few years ago. Conservatory replaced 5 years ago with prototype tiled conservatory system. Double glazed windows replaced 5 years ago or so. Radiators are a mix, 2 double radiators (one tiny in conservatory). 3 long, single radiators. One bathroom radiator. Cold bridging on bedroom window. Duo pitch cold timber roof, apparently roof (or just felting) needs replacing, close to agreeing to that. 1950's concrete block construction, brick skin, joisted floors. Reused hardwood flooring with good underlay in hallway to kitchen and conservatory 4 years ago, old carpeting elsewhere, big rug in conservatory. Front door stormguard door seals replaced this summer. Bathroom extraction into loft (probably should look at that), kitchen extraction hood to outside.

An ageing house in need of modernisation and more care and attention. I use all the rooms now, I changed the small bedroom (previously the kitchen during previous owner) into a drying room for clothing with a dehumidifier. The kitchen / conservatory is most in need of another radiator and probably wallpapering.

Edit: all radiators bar one in the hallway have TRV fitted. All radiators are on internal walls, not under windows.

Do you have any metal paper (with or without bubble wrap) beneath the insulation in the basement or in the attic ro remit ultraviolet heat loss?.....this would lead to a roughly 25% reduction in heating  costs.

[Kayakman]

ting but on cooling alos.

9 minutes ago, JohnM said:

I realise that (m)any appropriately qualified and rated central heating contractor(s) would  advise and quote but nevertheless, it's useful to have some input from the forum's own. 

 

Using metal paper (with bubble wrap is best*) on the floors and ceiling to reduce and trap/redirect UV rays saved me 25% on both my heating and cooling bills for the entire year!.....no contractor will tell you that over there I bet.

It works....save $$$$$$$$ on BOTH heating and cooling!

[JonM]

9 hours ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

Genuine question.....how come it goes off?

I guess just because we're really out in the sticks, and the power lines have to travel a good distance over pretty rough terrain that gets a lot of wind, and there isn't much redundancy/ scope for re-routing when a line is down. We've had three separate power outages so far since the start of Autumn, although none for more than a couple of hours.

Storm Arwen took out the power for several million people last year, and in some cases it was over a week before it was restored. That's a long time to be without heat or light, so best to have some backup options for staying warm, cooking food and so on.  

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

5 hours ago, JonM said:

I guess just because we're really out in the sticks, and the power lines have to travel a good distance over pretty rough terrain that gets a lot of wind, and there isn't much redundancy/ scope for re-routing when a line is down. We've had three separate power outages so far since the start of Autumn, although none for more than a couple of hours.

Storm Arwen took out the power for several million people last year, and in some cases it was over a week before it was restored. That's a long time to be without heat or light, so best to have some backup options for staying warm, cooking food and so on.  

Yes must be grim putting up with electric outrage...think I've only ever had it maybe twice in 20 years at home 

[gazza77]

2 hours ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

Yes must be grim putting up with electric outrage...think I've only ever had it maybe twice in 20 years at home 

We get a few, though the only one of note and by far the longest being storm arwen last year. At least I got a good compensation payment out of it.

[bobbruce]

On 15/12/2022 at 18:32, hindle xiii said:

Genuinely looking for help, advice, hints and tips here.

I'd love for @Old Frightfulor @David Dockhouse Hostto tell me to get a flange dangler or a thingamajig for £3.99 from Screwfix and it'll fix all my home heating dilemmas!

I’ve set our temperature for when we are either expected to be out or in bed at 10 degrees. Then the times we’d usually have it on I’ve set at 18 degrees as a base. If anyones cold in the house they just manually turn it up usually to what we used to have the high setting at which was 23 degrees. It seems to be working as our latest gas bill has gone down 1p. 

Edited December 17, 2022 by bobbruce

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

4 hours ago, bobbruce said:

I’ve set our temperature for when we are either expected to be out or in bed at 10 degrees. Then the times we’d usually have it on I’ve set at 18 degrees as a base. If anyones cold in the house they just manually turn it up usually to what we used to have the high setting at which was 23 degrees. It seems to be working as our latest gas bill has gone down 1p. 

Yeah..we used to have 23 and now down to 20 

Not sure I've felt cold as a result ....

 

[JonM]

Turns out that a few cm of snow is another reason for the power to go off for most of the day

[hindle xiii]

8 hours ago, bobbruce said:

I’ve set our temperature for when we are either expected to be out or in bed at 10 degrees. Then the times we’d usually have it on I’ve set at 18 degrees as a base. If anyones cold in the house they just manually turn it up usually to what we used to have the high setting at which was 23 degrees. It seems to be working as our latest gas bill has gone down 1p. 

Granted there are many other factors to consider but I'm not sure 10°c is good for the house. If it's something that you want to read about then Google it as your circumstances are your own.

[gazza77]

4 hours ago, hindle xiii said:

Granted there are many other factors to consider but I'm not sure 10°c is good for the house. If it's something that you want to read about then Google it as your circumstances are your own.

Probably depends to some degree on the house. Our house was built in stages but the newest is 200 or so years old, so predates central heating by some distance. That's probably why we have some of the issues we do to some extent, modern materials and expectations don't necessarily tie up with thick, rubble filled walls, open stonework, etc. 

[bobbruce]

20 hours ago, hindle xiii said:

Granted there are many other factors to consider but I'm not sure 10°c is good for the house. If it's something that you want to read about then Google it as your circumstances are your own.

Our thermostat isn’t on or off it wants a temperature to reach all day. So when it’s set at 10 it’s because either no one’s in the house or we are in bed. The rest of the time it’s set for 18 which to be honest it’s still cold but as I say if someone’s in the house they can then manually turn it up.