Heat in the home

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My central heating is set for what range?

I don't have central heating
8
13%
below 18
22
37%
18-20
23
38%
21-22
2
3%
23-25
2
3%
25-plus
3
5%
 
Total votes: 60

axel_knutt
Posts: 2869
Joined: 11 Jan 2007, 12:20pm

Re: Heat in the home

Post by axel_knutt »

Jdsk wrote: 27 Nov 2021, 12:40pm
tatanab wrote: 27 Nov 2021, 11:24amI will watch this for a while, and then experiment with leaving the heating on overnight which I think may well be the same or nearly the same in cost.
I'd always recommend doing the experiment. : - )

The idea that it uses less energy to keep living spaces warm rather than warming then up when needed crops up quite often. It isn't correct.

Jonathan
That you save energy by switching the heating off overnight is obvious, the altogether more interesting question is whether the energy saved is in proportion to the time switched off, and the answer is that it's not.

I measured my house over the winter 2017/18, and a 29% reduction in heating hours gives an 8% reduction in gas consumption. If there were no thermal inertia in the fabric of the building, and the rise time when the heating comes on were the same as the fall time when it switches off, then the mean consumption vary in proportion to the duty cycle of the timer, but that's not the case. The system's controlled by a thermostat, so when it comes on from cold the boiler works hard to satisfy the thermostat asap, and the room temperature that's driving the heat loss rises quickly, but falls slowly.

I also have thermal model of the house and heating system on the computer, and got a better result of 11% for 29% off, but that doesn't take account of the occupants' tendency to turn up the heating to maintain the same subjective warmth. The mean temperature of the walls drops, and their inertia smooths out the daily cycle, so this induces a counterproductive urge to turn the heating up in order to compensate for the walls which are slower reheat, because your comfort depends on mean radiant temperature as well as air temperature.
“I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche
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Mick F
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Posts: 56349
Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall

Re: Heat in the home

Post by Mick F »

Hellhound wrote: 27 Nov 2021, 4:01pm 25+ all year round 24/7 that is what my Hive is set to.If it drops below that,even in Summer,the heating kicks in.I like it warm.No point having central heating and not using it.It's very windy and about 2° outside and I'm sat here with shorts and a t-shirt on 8)
Fire lit and I'm sitting here wearing (only) a T shirt. :D
Mick F. Cornwall
francovendee
Posts: 3145
Joined: 5 May 2009, 6:32am

Re: Heat in the home

Post by francovendee »

Mick F wrote: 27 Nov 2021, 11:13am Can't answer your poll, as although we have a few radiators, they aren't thermostatic and are only used when the two fires we have produce too much hot water so we use the radiators as a heat-sink. Two bedroom bungalow with four radiators, one of which is blanked off as we never use it or need it.

Solid fuel cooking range in the kitchen, and a multifuel stove in the livingroom - both with back-boilers.

Kitchen range is lit, and has been for months.
Stove in the livingroom not been lit since Thursday, but it will be lit later today. Wood mainly, but augmented with coal sometimes.

Temperature?
Dunno, but it's chilly here in the livingroom and cosy in the kitchen.
Spare bedroom is damned freezing in there, and our bedroom isn't too bad. Lecky blanket time of year! :D
This morning I came down to the sitting room and it felt cooler than normal. The thermometer read 14.5 deg. Much colder than our normal 16 deg at this time of year.
If I'm in a warm environment I start to feel sleepy. The only part of me that feels cold are my fingers.
Off to the bar this morning so the wood burner won't be lit until this afternoon.
francovendee
Posts: 3145
Joined: 5 May 2009, 6:32am

Re: Heat in the home

Post by francovendee »

al_yrpal wrote: 27 Nov 2021, 2:14pm This has a meths boiler but its not part of our heating system :wink: Needs a bit of a clean and polish...

AlIMG20211127141216.jpg
I had a similar one, At first mine worked perfectly then it would run for a bit, slow down and then stop. No shortage of steam though. An uncle (ex railway man) suggested some squirts of oil in the boiler which fixed it.
I wish I still had mine.
yakdiver
Posts: 1466
Joined: 12 Jul 2007, 2:54pm
Location: North Baddesley Hampshire

Re: Heat in the home

Post by yakdiver »

My heating is off as I'm trying not to use it this winter due to cost, the bathroom radiator comes on for 12 minutes per day to dry the towel, but that's it.
Pebble
Posts: 1930
Joined: 7 Jun 2020, 11:59pm

Re: Heat in the home

Post by Pebble »

Central heating set for 14°c thru the night, then 8am it goes up to 17°c, then 21 from 8pm to 00:30

During the winter we also light an open log fire and probably have the living room something stupid like 30+
(I ride all winter in all weather and just need to recharge my batteries with a good sizzle in front of a real fire)
philvantwo
Posts: 1730
Joined: 8 Dec 2012, 6:08pm

Re: Heat in the home

Post by philvantwo »

yakdiver wrote: 28 Nov 2021, 10:37am My heating is off as I'm trying not to use it this winter due to cost, the bathroom radiator comes on for 12 minutes per day to dry the towel, but that's it.
How can a radiator get up to temperature and dry a towel in 12 minutes?
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Mick F
Spambuster
Posts: 56349
Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall

Re: Heat in the home

Post by Mick F »

Fire lit in the livingroom.
Birch and Eucalyptus mixture.

The water in the back-boiler is starting to boil, so I'll be turning the manual "central heating" pump on shortly to dissipate it.
Radiators in the bathroom, and both bedrooms. That's three.



Done it, and the simmering/boiling noise has gone and the fire will settle down to tickover.
Mick F. Cornwall
philvantwo
Posts: 1730
Joined: 8 Dec 2012, 6:08pm

Re: Heat in the home

Post by philvantwo »

How much water does the tank hold Mick F?
Phileas
Posts: 414
Joined: 18 Feb 2009, 6:12pm
Location: Bristol

Re: Heat in the home

Post by Phileas »

Early morning 17 then 18 during day if at home, then 19 in evening. Set-back temp 16.

I’m currently researching solar PV + battery + electric heating options.
Jdsk
Posts: 24478
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Heat in the home

Post by Jdsk »

Phileas wrote: 28 Nov 2021, 4:23pmI’m currently researching solar PV + battery + electric heating options.
Are you considering charging a car or selling to the grid?

Thanks

Jonathan
rjb
Posts: 7183
Joined: 11 Jan 2007, 10:25am
Location: Somerset (originally 60/70's Plymouth)

Re: Heat in the home

Post by rjb »

Mick F wrote: 28 Nov 2021, 3:40pm Fire lit in the livingroom.
Birch and Eucalyptus mixture.

The water in the back-boiler is starting to boil, so I'll be turning the manual "central heating" pump on shortly to dissipate it.
Radiators in the bathroom, and both bedrooms. That's three.



Done it, and the simmering/boiling noise has gone and the fire will settle down to tickover.
Whats a manual central heating pump? Do you pedal it or turn by hand :?
At the last count:- Peugeot 531 pro, Dawes Discovery Tandem, Dawes Kingpin X3, Raleigh 20 stowaway, 1965 Moulton deluxe, Falcon K2 MTB dropped bar tourer, Rudge Bi frame folder, Longstaff trike conversion on a Giant XTC 840 :D
Phileas
Posts: 414
Joined: 18 Feb 2009, 6:12pm
Location: Bristol

Re: Heat in the home

Post by Phileas »

Jdsk wrote: 28 Nov 2021, 4:37pm
Phileas wrote: 28 Nov 2021, 4:23pmI’m currently researching solar PV + battery + electric heating options.
Are you considering charging a car or selling to the grid?

Thanks

Jonathan
My aim is not to save money particularly but initially, I would just be looking to supply electricity and hot water needs using solar and a low rate night-time tariff from Octopus or similar. Selling to the grid would just be a bonus.

I’ve also started wondering how I might heat the house and get rid of the wet CH system. I’m aware of infrared heaters and air to air heat pumps i.e. air conditioners.
Jdsk
Posts: 24478
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Heat in the home

Post by Jdsk »

Phileas wrote: 28 Nov 2021, 4:57pm
Jdsk wrote: 28 Nov 2021, 4:37pm
Phileas wrote: 28 Nov 2021, 4:23pmI’m currently researching solar PV + battery + electric heating options.
Are you considering charging a car or selling to the grid?
My aim is not to save money particularly but initially, I would just be looking to supply electricity and hot water needs using solar and a low rate night-time tariff from Octopus or similar. Selling to the grid would just be a bonus.

I’ve also started wondering how I might heat the house and get rid of the wet CH system. I’m aware of infrared heaters and air to air heat pumps i.e. air conditioners.
Thanks.

It's going to be very interesting to see where air source heat pumps fit into this approach.

Jonathan

PS: And how vehicle batteries complement intermittent sources...
geocycle
Posts: 2177
Joined: 11 Jan 2007, 9:46am

Re: Heat in the home

Post by geocycle »

Phileas wrote: 28 Nov 2021, 4:57pm
Jdsk wrote: 28 Nov 2021, 4:37pm
Phileas wrote: 28 Nov 2021, 4:23pmI’m currently researching solar PV + battery + electric heating options.
Are you considering charging a car or selling to the grid?

Thanks

Jonathan
My aim is not to save money particularly but initially, I would just be looking to supply electricity and hot water needs using solar and a low rate night-time tariff from Octopus or similar. Selling to the grid would just be a bonus.

I’ve also started wondering how I might heat the house and get rid of the wet CH system. I’m aware of infrared heaters and air to air heat pumps i.e. air conditioners.
Would be interested in what you find out. We had a survey from Eon for 18 solar panels on optimal sw facing roof. Even with a battery it would never really break even as we were not using enough electricity. We have gas central heating. The gap between the feedin tariff and the usage tariff was too much to make sense. We also wouldn’t get a buffer even with a battery if there was a power cut without additional circuitry. Maybe charging an ev would make it more worthwhile.
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