On Wed, 28 Jan 2004 13:36:56 +0000, Alan Shilling wrote:

----- Original Message -----
From: "Velvet"
Newsgroups: uk.d-i-y
Sent: 28 January 2004 10:01
Subject: CH - most efficient way to run in cold weather?


Snipped

Now, after all that background, the question. Since I'm not out all day
at work, I'm not sure what the most efficient way of heating the place is.

Snipped

Heat loss is proportionate to the insulation factor and temperature
difference between the inside and outside of the house. Hence if you turn
down your thermostat, you will lower the inside temperature and the heat
loss will be less. I'm sure there are small effects due to the way the
boiler performs, but I think the overall picture will remain the same - turn
it down, use less fuel. As you have a programmable thermostat you'd be daft
not to.

In very cold weather, you may need to program the boiler to come on a bit
earlier to get the place warm enough.

The lower the inside temperature, the more heat you'll gain from (or less
you'll lose to) the house below :-)


The least heat lost from the house wil be the regime that runs the lowest
average temperature.
So you need to find what the lowest temperature you're content with for the
night-time (suggest 15C until you know better).
Like-wise anytime you are not there you need you need to find the lowest
temperature you would be happy with considering:
1) The house will take a while to heat up from the low temp.
2) You don't really want the house getting much below 5-10C becasue you
may get temporary condensation on objects with a high thermal mass until
the house is warmed up again.


--
Ed Sirett - Property maintainer and registered gas fitter.
The FAQ for uk.diy is at www.diyfaq.org.uk
Gas fitting FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFitting.html
Sealed CH FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/SealedCH.html