A quick question on this. I get that it's part of the regs to have one fitted, and I often see advice that the rad in the room with the wall thermostat should have the valve open (and preferably no TRV). Isn't that a bit... archaic? The temp in one room controlling heating to the whole house is clunky to say the least. I understand that houses can be zoned to partially address that, but ultimately, home owners just end up messing about with the wall stat to get their bedrooms warm. Isn't it about time building regs demanded boilers that can sense close TRVs and go into sleep mode?? I'm sure that's what my Vaillant with weather compensation does.
Oh, I don't. Happy with my weather compensating Vaillant 838 with rad valves. Controller lets me run it all the time ("German" mode) and it will sleep when there is no heat loss in the flow. Not that I do.
I was just wondering why our regs are so archaic. When condensing boilers first came out they were expensive and a luxury. Building regs changed to make them mandatory and now prices have come down. About time regs demanded boilers that weather compensate and can run with TRVs and no room thermostat, and be efficient. The Germans have done it for years. Just saying....
Ideally we would be better with many improvements. Getting properly insulated homes for a start. Lots of customers find current heating controls a mystery. The regs are also the minimum required. Plus the regs have to cover everyone not just the tec savvy and monied
Ideally we would be better with many improvements. Getting properly insulated homes for a start. Lots of customers find current heating controls a mystery. The regs are also the minimum required. Plus the regs have to cover everyone not just the tec savvy and monied
Yes, fair enough. Have to say that the biggest saving I've observed is through good insulation. My last house (three storey end of terrace 1960s townhouse, with four bedrooms) was £250/month on gas and electricity. There was hardly and insulation and it was a relatively cheap build. Current house is typical four bed detached, about same vintage, but better build quality and full insulation. With the modern weather compensating heating and more energy efficient lights, it's £70/month.
However, regs did move on to condensing boilers so would be good to take the next step to weather compensation. My German Grandmother had that with an oil fired boiler in the 1970s!!
Weather comp has been about in the UK for a long time so was solar thermal. I takes a wholesale change in people's attitudes. Notice the the amount of solar p.v that's has popped up.
Weather comp has been about in the UK for a long time so was solar thermal. I takes a wholesale change in people's attitudes. Notice the the amount of solar p.v that's has popped up.
What surprised me was that once I had chosen the boiler, which was rated to provide hot water to the house (it's a combo), the weather compensating controller was only another £50 or so more than the on/off type room thermostat. Probably paid for itself in six months if not more. I love how the rads are luke warm on warmer days and how it comes on early on cold mornings. It also means that it runs in condensing mode more often. It took some experimentation to get the heating curve right, but I've sorted that now. All in all, after three and a half years with it, very happy.
I think it depends on the "extra" cost. Also, there seem to be two sorts of weather "control" doing the rounds. There is the internet based type (like Nest and Evohome seems to use) which use the weather information to change switch-on times but can't alter the heating flow temperature. Proper weather compensation alters the heating flow temp, so that as it gets warmer the boiler works less hard, uses less gas and is in the condensing temp range more often.
The other thing to consider, as I mentioned earlier, is that if you are already forking out on a boiler that supports it (like the Vaillant e-bus), then you may as well spend the extra few quid on the controller. So in my case I had the Vaillant 838 installed as it's a combo and was rated to provide enough hot water. The VRC-430f controller was about £100. So about £50 more than a standard on/off type, and it's wireless so no wiring. I can put the internal controller/thermostat where I like (on the landing), the outside sensor, which is solar powered, where I like and no wiring. It also helps to have a well insulated house. On a cold day (say 0C) with a heat demand of 21C indoors, it runs the flow at about 60C. Each cycle lasts about 5 mins, with a 10 min sleep time in between. The sleep time is longer as the temp outside increases. When it's warmer, it turns the heating off earlier at night. When it's colder it comes on earlier in the morning. So much more flexible and efficient that setting the flow to 70C on the boiler and using an on/off stat in the living room.
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