Central Heating controls in spring whilst on holiday

[spiidey]

We're heading off on holiday in April 2013 for two weeks.

When we're away, what is the best setting for the thermostat if there is a risk of a frost at any point (i.e. to guard against burst pipes etc), in order to minimise any heating costs during the period we're away on holiday?

Is it best to:-

(a) Switch the central heating off completely (as it would have to be incredibly cold for the pipes to burst/spring a leak)?
(b) Turn the main thermostat to e.g. 15 degrees and keep the central heating control on the boiler on its current timer (7.30am-8.15am; 6pm-9.30pm), whilst keeping the thermostatic valves at setting 5 (maximum);
(c) Turn the main thermostat to e.g. 15 degrees and keep the central heating control on the boiler on its current timer (7.30am-8.15am; 6pm-9.30pm), and turn the thermostatic valves to the "frost free" setting (I assume this is what the snowflake shape on the thermostatic valve is);
(d) Turn the main thermostat to e.g. 10 degrees and have the central heating control on the boiler set to "on" all the time, with the valves turned to frost free;
(e) Turn the main thermostat to "frost free" (I assume this is the star shape in attached pic of main thermostat), have central heating control on boiler set to "on", and have all thermostatic valves set to frost free;
(f)Something else?

We live in Scotland, just outside Edinburgh.

 

[dcawkwell]

Switch it off completely.
You aren't going to get bad conditions in april that will cause any problems.
Not even in Scotland. (I could be proved wrong).

Turning the cold main stop valve off is a wise move.

 

[spiidey]

Switch it off completely.
You aren't going to get bad conditions in april that will cause any problems.
Not even in Scotland. (I could be proved wrong).

Turning the cold main stop valve off is a wise move.

Thanks, what is the cold main stop valve and where is this located?

So how cold and over how long a period would a cold spell have to last for there to be any risk of pipes bursting?

What about if we went away for a week's break in January, what would be the best settings?

 

[dcawkwell]

Switch it off completely.
You aren't going to get bad conditions in april that will cause any problems.
Not even in Scotland. (I could be proved wrong).

Turning the cold main stop valve off is a wise move.

Thanks, what is the cold main stop valve and where is this located?

So how cold and over how long a period would a cold spell have to last for there to be any risk of pipes bursting?

What about if we went away for a week's break in January, what would be the best settings?

Cold main stop valve usually under the kitchen sink.
For january set all the radiators on full and the heating on continuous
and set the wall thermostat to the lowest setting say 5 degrees.
The boiler will keep the house above freezing.

 

[dcawkwell]

Switch it off completely.
You aren't going to get bad conditions in april that will cause any problems.
Not even in Scotland. (I could be proved wrong).

Turning the cold main stop valve off is a wise move.

Thanks, what is the cold main stop valve and where is this located?

So how cold and over how long a period would a cold spell have to last for there to be any risk of pipes bursting?

What about if we went away for a week's break in January, what would be the best settings?

Cold main stop valve usually under the kitchen sink.
For january set all the radiators on full and the heating on continuous
and set the wall thermostat to the lowest setting say 5 degrees.
The boiler will keep the house above freezing.

 

[spiidey]

Switch it off completely.
You aren't going to get bad conditions in april that will cause any problems.
Not even in Scotland. (I could be proved wrong).

Turning the cold main stop valve off is a wise move.

Thanks, what is the cold main stop valve and where is this located?

So how cold and over how long a period would a cold spell have to last for there to be any risk of pipes bursting?

What about if we went away for a week's break in January, what would be the best settings?

Cold main stop valve usually under the kitchen sink.
For january set all the radiators on full and the heating on continuous
and set the wall thermostat to the lowest setting say 5 degrees.
The boiler will keep the house above freezing.

Should I keep any taps running? Or is that the purpose of putting the cold main stop valve off?

 

[mickyg]

The recommendation for empty properties as far as insurance companies are concerned is to leave the heating on constant with the thermostat set to 10C. It would be sensible to turn all the radiators to their lowest setting as well to not waste heat. If you have tanks and/or pipework in your loft, leave the loft hatch open. Turn off stopcock as stated.

 

[spiidey]

The recommendation for empty properties as far as insurance companies are concerned is to leave the heating on constant with the thermostat set to 10C. It would be sensible to turn all the radiators to their lowest setting as well to not waste heat. If you have tanks and/or pipework in your loft, leave the loft hatch open. Turn off stopcock as stated.

Without checking under every single bit of the insulation in the loft, is there an easier way to check/know whether we have any pipework up there?

Property is a new build 2005 property.