Are radiators neccessary upstairs?

[Nibsbat]

Since having the house fully insulated both cavity wall and loft (2 storey house - 4 bedrooms) the upstairs gets very warm, in fact several degrees above the lower storey. This is making the upstairs uncomfortably warm at night (rads are off). Clearly the thermostat is located downstairs and we need that part of the house up to temp. I have tried to balance the rads out and reduced the upstairs ones to a min (but not off).

So question is because of warm air rising and good insulation are upstairs rads neccessary (barring towel rads in bathroom)?

 

[45yearsagasman]

If no heating is required in bedrooms, then why not fit TRV's and set them as required.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Do your bedroom rads have TRV'S fitted?

Andy

 

[namsag]

Simple its what each individual is comfortable with , if you find house is hot enough without them then leave them turned off while its hot enough

 

[moggridgeplumbing]

Better to have TRV's fitted than keep turning the rads off altogether. You never know when the next big freeze will hit us. Good old british weather!

 

[JohnD]

do you keep the internal doors closed when the heating is on?

 

[Nibsbat]

Yep, most have TRVs and set to 1, as I understand it setting to frost setting is not recommended. All doors are open

 

[oilman]

Short answer is, no, radiators are not necessary upstairs. Even when there's ice on the inside of the windows they're still not necessary upstairs, and by the sound of it as your insulation is so good, you will never get to that stage. You could reduce the temperature upstairs by opening windows if it's uncomfortably hot.

We don't have any radiators upstairs and I've no intention of fitting them. What we do have is a door at the bottom of the stairs. Your situation sounds like you could do with one to stop the heat escaping upstairs.

 

[JohnD]

All doors are open

Close them. Hot air rises, so it will all go upstairs.

 

[Nibsbat]

Easier said than done with two small children . Also not that clear cut with the space at bottom of stairs as effectively open plan down stairs. I think as long as there is no clear cut safety or damp issue I will consider getting them blanked off when we have the boiler replaced (imminent as boiler 12+ years old).

And yes the insulation is that good, the difference after having the cavity done and additional layer in the loft was astonishing.

Thanks for all your responses, very much appreciated.

 

[JohnD]

would be better to fit TRVs. Then you can set them to 18C or something, and the rads will not come on unless it gets colder than that, say in very frosty weather, or when you have been away.