Settle A Heating Debate Lol!

[Smowball]

Ok, 3 storey house, lots of radiators. I turn the ones off in the rooms that aren’t really used much. As for the rest of the house, I turn the heating dial on till it just clicks on and heating comes on, then when house it warm enough I turn it down/off. Then hours later if I think it’s a bit chilly I might turn it up again. Mr smow says it’s more economical to keep it on low all the time in the day. i.e. turn the dial so it clicks and heating just comes on, then keep it like that all day. Which is best?? Or does it make no difference?

[aelmpvw]

radiators are only switched on in my house when i run out of jumpers

[Patsy33]

It sounds as though you just get used to the heat and your bodies thermostat tells you that you need to be warmer! :-)
Perhaps some instant heat from a portable heater, i.e hot air blower, or just put a thick cardigan on..

[pixie374]

Lol. Tbf, some of my clients are 80s, 90s, 100s, so I doubt will make any difference!

[aelmpvw]

great minds Patsy :-)

[calmck]

I keep all radiator individual thermostats at 3 unless it is very cold, then turn up until warmer again. All other thermostats are set and left on that setting day and night

[Smowball]

Ok, all thermostats are on 3, wall dial is on 16 and all radiators are still boiling hot!! Help!

[AuntPG]

Where is your thermostat positioned? It could be in a draught so not cutting out when the ambient temperature is reached.

[Smowball]

It’s in the hallway. We have a porch, and then our front door, so definitely no draught. And this is why I end up physically turning the dial to zero, as I’m melting.

[pixie374]

Smow, maybe put a thermometer on top of your thermostat? It doesn't seem to be working.

[pixie374]

Or turn it up and down, and see when you hear it click off?

[Atheist]

I suspect that the hall is one of the colder parts of the house. Re-locating the thermostat to the living room would probably give you better results.
There's a cheaper approach:-
Is it not possible to leave the heating on a high setting (during the time you want heat) and let the radiator thermostatic calves (TRV's) do the job of controlling individual room temperatures? If the living room (say) gets too hot when the wall thermostat is set high, then adjust the living room TRV - turn it to a slightly higher number and wait a minute or so to see if the radiator starts to heat up. If it does, then leave it alone and see if the room temperature goes to a comfortable level. If not, then repeat until it feels OK.

[Smowball]

I definitely heat it click when I turn it up - it normally clicks when I get to about 18.

[Smowball]

Just a thought - is it because not enough radiators are on?? Top floor is a complete office - full of computers etc so radiators definitely not on in that room. Next floor - usual upstairs floor - radiators are off in two of the spare bedrooms and in our bedroom it’s very rarely on. Bathroom has a heated towel rail which is obv on when heating comes on. Downstairs - big kitchen and radiator usually off, lounge has two radiators which are on and hall one is on.

[pixie374]

If it's working, the current temperature should be 18 then, and if you are melting... have you been out, busy, rushing around?

[Patsy33]

Could be a fault in the system, Smow. Perhaps you need to get it checked out?

[Smowball]

Not really pixie as still recovering from the pancreatitis. Ok, I’ve got thermostat dial between 17 - 18 now and the radiators I can get to the dial are on 3;now and seems to be cooling. Any particular number best for the radiator dials.
Patsy, yes I think I should anyway.

[pixie374]

Fair enough, smow. Hope you feel better soon x maybe they "were" off, but still hot to the touch?

[gingejbee]

Unless you spend all your time in the hall, I'm not sure that's the best place for the thermostat. The most frequently used room is, surely, a better location.

[paddywak]

Is your thermostat hard wired or like ours wireless? If wireless just try moving it to another room and see what effect it has.By the way once our heating is on it runs at 20 all the time,but we are in a very well insulated bungelow.

[Atheist]

smow @ 13:45
TRV's should be set using trial and error to find the right number. Incidentally they shouldn't be covered or obstructed by furniture, as there needs to be free flow of air over them.