Most Efficient Way to Run a Condensing Central Heating

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I wondered if there was any advice on the most efficient way to run a condensing central heating system.

Being at home all day the heating is on for 16 hrs and currently being run at the lowest possible flow temperature setting (adjusted to take account of cold/warm days and nights).

I am aware of keeping the boiler return to below 53C such that condensation occurs.

My first observation would be, is it more efficient to run the boiler, at a low flow temperature, continuously? Rather than it switching on and off / heating up and cooling down.

Are these modern condensing boilers designer to have the burners running for long/continuous periods time?
 
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Why don't you tell us your boiler make and model so we can give you a reply relating to your own system?

It is always more efficient to turn off heating when you don't need it on in spite of what some people seem to think!

Weather compensation is a convenient add on for greater comfort and efficiency.

Tony
 
I'd love to be able to run a comparison of one week with CH twice daily against one week with CH on full time. If you could be certain to get two weeks with identical temperatures I bet you'd see very little difference; I'm mindful especially of when you come back from a winter holiday and the boiler labours for a couple of days to re-warm the structure and contents of the house.
 
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As Agile says, it will always be cheaper to heat as required; how much cheaper is another matter. In a well insulated house, there probably won't be much in it.

My other half does shift work and the pattern varies weekly; I also have a pet. Putting the heating on 24/7 didn't make much difference to my bill; I certainly didn't notice.
 
To explain why, the heat lost from the house which you have to pay for is proportional to the temperature difference between the house and outside.

So reducing the house temperature for a few hours will reduce the heat lost for a few hours.

Tony
 
Any opinions from those in know regarding the following:

Are these modern condensing boilers designer to have the burners running for long/continuous periods time?
 
So reducing the house temperature for a few hours will reduce the heat lost for a few hours.
But you then have to add extra heat to bring the house back up to temperature.

So you have to compare the heat saved, by turning the stat down, with the extra heat added, when the stat is turned up, to see if there are any savings.
 
the amount of heat lost over, say, ten hours from a heated building, will always be higher than the amount of heat lost over ten hours from an unheated building.

So you will always use more energy keeping it hot, that in re-warming it after a period of not heating.
 
the amount of heat lost over, say, ten hours from a heated building, will always be higher than the amount of heat lost over ten hours from an unheated building.
That's stating the obvious. If the building is unheated then zero heat is lost.

So you will always use more energy keeping it hot, that in re-warming it after a period of not heating.
How do you jump to that conclusion?
 
how do you think you can possibly use the same or greater amount of energy heating it twice, as heating it continuously?
 
Watching the F&R temps on my boiler over a 48 hour period makes for interesting viewing (believe it or not).

Sadly the ins and outs I can't go into for legal reasons (believe it or not) but lets just say that more goes in after an overnight off period than go in over a daytime top up.

Fundamentally though, the amount of heat lost is what makes the "always ion or not "argument property specific.

My house benefits more from the heating always being on than for the old lady in a Victorian town house I was at yesterday with her CF CI boiler on gravity hot water.

the amount of heat leaking through the fabric of the building and pipe work means she would be insane to run the system all the time. My house on the other hand retains the heat more so once a certain level has been achieved, topping off uses relatively little.
 
At least JohnD agrees with the obvious statement that you lose more heat when the house it always hot.

And of course you will need to add more heat to warm up after an off period but always less than you would have used keeping it hot all the time.

Here in this 3.5m x 4.0m corner front room with two outside walls, solid walls, single sash windows and uninsulated floors, the 2.4 kW rad can only achieve 16 C today.

But after turning off the heating two hours ago it has fallen from 16 C to 13 C and its probably about 7 C outside.

If things go well I will probably have an extension with a well insulated bedroom upstairs so will be able to join those who can lounge round in shorts indoors during the winter!

Tony
 

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