Not hot enough!

[Babcia]

Hi
We have just moved into a newly built house, nicely insulated etc. etc. etc. The problem is that although I have had the central heating on 24 hours a day for 8 days now, the temperature in the lounge does not get above 18.5 C. The thermostats on the rads are on full '5'. Other rooms on top floor on '3' and 1st floor on '3' as well. Bathroom towel rails are on full. The lounge diner is quite big L shaped (21' x 21') with three walls having patio doors, so a lot of glass. Can anyone make any suggestions?

 

[Babcia]

Forget to say that the room thermostat (in the hall) is set to 25 C.

 

[seco services]

has the hall rad got a trv fitted ?
where is the stat clicking when you turn it what temp ?

 

[Babcia]

The hall rad does not have a thermostat. The room thermostat clicks around 18/19C even though it is set at 25C.

 

[seco services]

does the boiler shut down and not come back on once the temp has reached 18/19 ?

is the boiler temp high enough on the boiler

 

[Babcia]

I can't say that I have ever heard the boiler 'not' working so I believe that it is on continuously. As for the second question, not really sure how to check. Had a quick look at the manual but nothing looks obvious. It is a Remeha Avanta Plus - Italian I believe.

 

[seco services]

don't know these boilers
is their a rad symbol on the front

do all the other rads get fully hot ?
is the valves on lounge rad fully open etc ?

 

[Babcia]

sorry, no such luck. It only has a pressure gauge, a two digit window for an error code and four buttons underneath 'R' '+' '-' and 'return key'.

 

[seco services]

do all the other rads get fully hot ?
is the valves on lounge rad fully open etc ?

 

[Babcia]

all rads hot, all rads in lounge fully open - on '5', others inbedrooms etc on '3'.

 

[seco services]

the lounge rad thats on 5 is it hot to touch even though the room is not ?
check the valve on the other end it may not be open enough.

 

[Babcia]

the rads (we have two, one in lounge area, the other in the dining area) are both definitely 'hot' to touch. The other ends do not appear to be adjustable - they just turn.

 

[seco services]

if they are very hot to touch they maybe under sized for the size of room.

but you say even the hall struggles to get above 19 degrees.

 

[Babcia]

My suspicion is that the rads are insufficient to heat the area giving the amount of glass in the room, albeit double glazed. The hall rad is hot as well but the room thermostat in the hall just trips at 18/19 degrees - probably all the rads are of an insufficient size. The hall opens up into the first and second floor and the rad is only quite small. I need to address this with the developer but I needed some background information with which to go to him.

 

[bengasman]

provided the boiler keeps going on and off by itself when it reaches a sufficiently high temperature, (cycle) it seems the rads are too small.

you would need an accurate way of measuring the temperature of the rads, preferably a non-contact spot thermometer, to make sure that they are getting hot enough.
these are not tools the average householder has.

not very scientific, but good enough to eliminate misunderstandings and such, try carefully touching each rad first bottom left, middle, right. then top left, middle, right. if you can't hold your hand on it anywhere, they are hot enough.

if that is the case with all of them, it is time to speak to the developer and tell him the heating is not sufficient.