Setting Central Heating For Economy In Very Old House

[robtherevelator1969]

Hi guys, i recently moved into this house, its an old bungalow style lodge/ gatehouse type property. Im renting it. I was prepared for the higher energy bills but i lost my job and now i need to minimise the gas im using as this house is using alot of gas per day to keep the place warm. The heating system is sufficient to keep the place warm, i just want to use the least gas i can get away with. I can easily use 3 to 4 cubic ft per day, working out about £7 a day its too much just for gas, thats using it sensibly.

The house has high ceilings, the hall radiator has no thermostat valve and there is a thermostat on the wall. The hall is not used much and i find i have to heat the hall up to about 22 deg to get my living room to 21 deg, i would rather have the hall temp lower if i could, is this possible?

What is the best setting for the boiler temperature? i have it set about 60 deg. I assume that a lower temp is better is this correct?

All the radiators heat up fine, im not sure if they are fully open or have been balanced, can balancing the radiators help with the amount of gas used?

If you have any other advice on saving gas use in a house like this please let me know. Is it worth getting a separate heater of some sort for the living room to keep it warm instead of heating the full house.

 

[Agile]

I expect you are using 300-400 cubic feet every day!

You are best setting boiler to at least 70 C. But you don't mention the boiler model.

If condensing the correctly setting flow/return differentials will improve boiler efficiency.

I would also say turn off the hall and any unused rooms as well when they are not occupied!

Its sometimes cheaper to use electricity when heating only one room.

Close curtains and ensure no curtain is blocking heat from the room.

Tony

 

[xr4x4]

Let's talk insulation and draughts?

 

[robtherevelator1969]

I expect you are using 300-400 cubic feet every day!

You are best setting boiler to at least 70 C. But you don't mention the boiler model.

If condensing the correctly setting flow/return differentials will improve boiler efficiency.

I would also say turn off the hall and any unused rooms as well when they are not occupied!

Its sometimes cheaper to use electricity when heating only one room.

Close curtains and ensure no curtain is blocking heat from the room.

Tony

Thanks for the reply.

Is the 4 units of gas im using actually 400, ie include the digits in red?

The boiler is a potterton promax he plus.

The hall i want a little cooler than the living room as we do go through it to go from room to room. Im going to put a curtain across the old wooden front door, it has glass above it too. Cant the temp of the hall be set lower than the other rooms without shutting it off?

It just during the day i could do with just heating the living room, do you know of an economical way of doing this?

There is secondary glazing in the living room, the main bedroom has only single glazing, so its really hard to heat, im thinking of shutting it off and only opening the radiator at 8 or 9pm every night.

 

[robtherevelator1969]

Let's talk insulation and draughts?

im going to put a curtain over the front door a sits an old wooden one. The loft is insulated but there is also a small bedroom in the loft, unused for years and smelly. There is not much i can do about the insulation its not my house. There is draught excluders on most of the doors.

 

[Agile]

Its totally your choice!

Heating empty rooms is a total waste of heat in my opinion!

An imperial "unit" of gas is 100 cu ft.

Last time I calculated its about £1.40 without the standing charge.

Tony

 

[robtherevelator1969]

Its totally your choice!

Heating empty rooms is a total waste of heat in my opinion!

An imperial "unit" of gas is 100 cu ft.

Last time I calculated its about £1.40 without the standing charge.

Tony

I have always found my bed too warm but in this house i find myself not warm enough during the night, the temp can drop to 13 deg. I think i need a heavier duvet. So turning the radiator on and off should help to a certain amount.

I have been using an online calculator for my gas usage also using the calorific value from my bill.