Central Heating

[sherrardk]

Is it better to keep the CH on low all the time or to put it on for 'bursts' of heat? I am at home all day (with the children) so it is miserable if it is cold (they are only 2 years old) but it seems extravagant to have it on all day. Thanks

[welshlibranr]

Can you not put the control onto a chosen temperature, and constant, Sher, then it will just come on when the temp drops below that temp, so keeping it comfy for you all without having it running all the time?..................

[sherrardk]

Hi Welsh, I was thinking about doing that but it just seems a bit indulgent (didn't know if it was a bad idea). Will have to have it on all the time for a bit anyway as it's the first time I have used it (we are new to this house) so I am not sure what setting each radiator needs to be at to keep it comfortable.

[Whoever]

I think it's probably better to keep it on all the time at a slightly lower temperature because then the heat will be absorbed into the walls and fabric of the house and help prevent any dampness or condensation building up, especially if you are trying to dry wet laundry.indoors. Make sure you all wear an extra layer of clothing, and make a point of doing some regular activity during the course of the day, rather than sitting around for long periods without moving, to keep the circulation moving. Regular warm drinks also help.

[sherrardk]

Hi Whoever - thanks for that (do I sound like a house-bound pensioner?).

[welshlibranr]

Hi again Sher, I tend to set mine to 50 degrees and constant, seems a bit low I know, but because it kicks in every time the temp drops below this, it works out fine for me, I guess it's just trial and error as you're in a new home!...............

[Prudentia]

Thermostatic control is the answer, set it to 20c or 68f and leave it on,always, you will have a constant comfort temperature and after 6-8 weeks a reduced fuel bill, it costs pennies to heat the air in your house but many pounds to re-heat the masonry, your in-house storage heater, after a three year comparison, i save £130 a year on average. Prudentia xxx

[jomifl]

You can turn it down to 15C at night as that is fairly comfortable for most people I believe. It is quite bearable during the day if you wear an extra layer and are mildly active.

[annie0000]

My friend keeps hers on all the time @ 17 degrees and I have mine on for an hour in the morning and then on before kids and I are home after school time but at a higher temperature. Ours goes off again at about 11ish in the evening as i don't like it on during the night. We have similar size houses and our bills are roughly comparable. She is mostly out during the day and does sometimes say that she is cold in the evening so I prefer my way :o). As you are in all day, you need to keep it warm for the little ones, but when you are all moving about, you won't need it too high and remember heat rises so you can afford to have the radiators upstairs set a bit lower as the upstairs will gain heat from downstairs.

[boxtops]

Ours is set about about 16-17 degrees nearly all the time, up to 19 if i's cold (our house is quite draughty due to its ages). No need for it to be any higher unless it's really cold out.

[sherrardk]

Got it completely wrong yesterday - the house must hold its heat quite well and we were all cookcing this morning even though the Ch had only been on about 15 minutes. I've turned all the radiators down at the moment and I will see how it goes (although one bedroom window is wide open as my husband is (bad-temperdly) putting a bed together and is getting a bit hot).

[modeller]

An important thing to remember is the doors. When radiators are first put in the size of them is governed by the amount of heat required. Cooler upstairs than down but that is also affected by whether the doors are open or closed. If you want a generally warm house leave the doors open to allow air circulation, but if you want a particular room , like the lounge to warm up when you are all sitting down watching TV keep the door closed. Remember also the affect of curtains when drawn across they help to keep the heat in. Normally once radiaters are balanced out they should not be adjusted as if you change one they will all be affected.