HW AND CH Trying to make sense and bring down bills

[potter12345]

Hi

Any help appreciated, 1st I have an oustide boiler. I believe My heating system is gravity fed,
I can select hot water and this heats my cylinder and radiators up stairs, If i want CH down staris I have to have both HW & CH on at programmer. This will kick the pump (think its a pump get continuous noise from outlet on boiler) and heat down stairs as well as upstairs.

I have found heating bills are going through the roof.

I don't have a thermostat to the cylinder so if im not interested in hot water just heating I take it im heating the cylinder 1st before the radiators and keeping the cylinder hot whilst this is happening.

In the summer radiators are all turned off upstairs.

I have the boiler turned to 4/5th marker potterton, I take it this will stop heating the boiler when it gets to the right temp.

As you can tell I'm not up with this sort of thing, Any suggestions on the best and cheapest way to uniform system or save money on gas. Ie cut out cylinder and just heat radiators upstais etc.

Will this be to install a thermostat to the cylinder or is there a valve I can shut off directing heat to radiators only when hot water temp is obtained.

Thanks
Hope this makes sense.

 

[kbdiy]

The simplest improvement would be to add a cylinder stat and 3 port valve with a decent programmer and room stat so that you can individually control heating or hot water without the need to manually turn rads on or off etc.

Also look at the extent of insulation on the hot water cylinder and around your home, especially the roof. Considerable gains can be made for relatively littel outlay.

 

[JohnD]

you will of course need a room thermostat as well.

 

[potter12345]

Thanks for the responses.

I havea digi programmer with ch hw and 7 day cycle with multiple settings
I also have Honeywell Room thermostat with eco new last year.

the 3 port valve does this divert hot water from cylinder once the stat reaches temp.

Is it normal for my radiators up stairs to be conceted to the hot water along with the cylinder.

 

[JohnD]

no, it will be happening because your 3-port valve is not working correctly and is allowing heat to leak past to them.

the purpose of the valve is to send hot water to the rads, if the timer and room thermostat tell it to; or to the cylinder, if the timer and cylinder stat tell it to; or to both, if both tell it to.

When neither cylinder not room stat are calling for heat the pump and boiler should be off.

 

[potter12345]

Thanks John

So just to get this right even though my programmer is only calling for HW the 3 wy port is leaking to the rads upstairs.

Do you know where i would usually find this port. does this have to be wired in. or is this purley mechanical

Also does the thermostat for the cylinder have to be wired to programmer.

Relly sorry but can you explain why I have to have HW on to have have CH on if CH is activated without HW nothing happens.

 

[JohnD]

it is electrically controlled. It will be connected to the boiler and the room stat, but most likely through a connection box about the size of a book. It might be near the pump and/or the cylinder and/or the boiler

the 3-port valve looks like this,
http://www.screwfix.com/p/honeywell-v4073a-3-port-motorised-valve-28mm/93623
but will probably be 22mm not 28mm. The hot water from the boiler oes up the stem of the "T" and out through one or both of the arms. The motor box might be galvanised or plastic.