What's more efficient do you think?

[gcol]

We have a combi boiler (Biasi 28 ) and live in an end terrace (solid brick walls - no CWI). We leave the central heating switched on 24/7 (from about Sept to May - or whenever it's cold) on the understanding that it's more efficient having the boiler just ticking over and maintaining the heat in an already warm house than to come on twice a day and have to warm up the house again. We have TRVs in all rooms (except bathroom) to maintain a constant tempertature. The house does get a lot of weather on the end wall, and it gets cold quite quickly when the heating is swiched off. We went on holiday in January for a week and turned the heating right down. It took 2 or 3 days for the house to feel properly warm again when we got back. You could feel the cold coming out of the walls.
Generally speaking, there's no one (except the dog) in the house from about 8.30am - 4.00pm.
I mentioned the fact that we leave the heating on all the time to a few mates and they seemed shocked. Does this sound like madness or is running the heating on a constant "tick-over" more or less as efficient as blasting the heating twice a day?

 

[meldrew's_mate]

Once again misuse of the word efficiency. I take it you mean to reduce your heating cost.
You burn gas all day (and night) because you want convenience and comfort. These things cost money and increase your carbon emissions. If you time the heating to come on 1/2 an hour before you get up, and put up with feeling a bit chilly until you get dressed you can reduce your 24/7 heating bill (168 hours/week) to a mere couple of hours in the morning and six or so at night, just about halving your gas usage. Invest in a good quality duvet and you've saved enough to have an extra week abroad next year as well.

 

[gcol]

You're missing my point and I think my use of the word efficient was justified. What I'm asking is, will there be a dramatic difference in gas used to heat my house if I leave the heating on all the time (where it's only kicking in occasonally because it's only maintaining the temperature) or if I have it come on twice a day and have to warm the house up (which means the boiler will be using much more gas but for a shorter period of time). As I said, my house gets cold quickly.

 

[chrishutt]

No question about it. You are better off timing the heating to cover the periods when you need it. By all means set the heating to come on an hour or so before you need it to give the house a chance to warm up, but leaving the heating on constantly is daft.

If you really want to make the whole thing more efficient, look at ways of insulating the external walls, especially the more exposed ones. Also make sure you have plenty of loft insulation and draught proofing on doors and windows.

 

[gcol]

Well it kinda started when we brought our premature baby home from hospital in 2004 - we had to keep the place warm all the time.
I think I'll try the morning and night thing for a day or two and see what it's like. Might need a thicker duvet though.

 

[kevindgas]

try putting a multi time / temp stat in instead of the normal dial type you can then have different temps through the day / night this is the most cost effective way of running your heating

 

[noonespecial]

If you really want to make the whole thing more efficient, look at ways of insulating the external walls, especially the more exposed ones. Also make sure you have plenty of loft insulation and draught proofing on doors and windows.

Ditto that - there are lots of grants available for Local Authorites, Utility Suppliers, etc which are not Means Tested.

 

[Agile]

Quote """you've saved enough to have an extra week abroad next year as well."""

Remember if you turn the heating off while you are away then you can save another 4% on gas and much more on a winter holiday compared with peak July costs.

Do you know if your boiler has been range rated to match your central heating needs? Can you look at the lower part of the PCB where the potentiometer marked "risc" is located? If its still turned up to maximum ( clockwise ) then turn it down until the flame becomes quite small. Doing this will also stop any tendancy to produce the "jumbo jet" noises !

Tony Glazier