Energy bills

[mangocrazy]

The 'system' side of the combi boiler. There is a diverter valve adjcaent to the DHW cylinder that switches betweenCH and DHW as programmed.

So how does that work in practice - does it mean that the boiler constantly (within any timer limits) maintain a tank full of hot water?

If so, that doesn't sound particularly efficient.

No, the boiler heats domestic hot water according to a timer, and up to a preset temperature. We have it set to 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the evening, which is more than adequate. It could probably be reduced. The DHW cylinder is new(ish) and well insulated.

[Phoenix]

Humidity seems to be a common problem in the UK and all this advice to seal up drafts doesn't help, I've gone through my options.

Indeed it is. Humidity in the North West can be truly awful. It was no accident that they built the cotton mills in the North West - it stopped the cotton from snapping.

I bought a de-humidifier some years ago. It has a lot of functions. I run it on the cheap mode for two hours each day and it works a treat. I also got out of the habit of hanging damp clothes in the kitchen. Another thing I did was replace the glass panelled front door. It had more glass in it than Pilkington’s factory! In winter it would condensate so badly it would drip on the floor. When we had an icy spell it froze the windows and cracked one of them. I replaced it with a thermally insulated, solid door with just one small triangular glass - country barn style door - and now there is no condensation at all.

[Dodgy69]

We are getting a lot of condensation on the bottom of our windows. I imagine it's because the house is not warm enough, but I don't remember it last year and heating always off at night. Windows are new. So, do I need more heat or more ventilation. ??

[Count Steer]

We are getting a lot of condensation on the bottom of our windows. I imagine it's because the house is not warm enough, but I don't remember it last year and heating always off at night. Windows are new. So, do I need more heat or more ventilation. ??

Probably ventilation.

Also, possibly, try and maintain a certain 'base' temperature as condensation happens when warm, moist air cools.(Which is why it happens on windows although I did get it on a tiled floor in a new house with no CH!).

Get a humidity meter, they aren't expensive.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Shout out for the term "Sensible Heat". Probably my second favourite technical titter after "Grease Nipple".

[Count Steer]

Oh, and I'm a fan of fan heaters because they shove air around and can help eliminate dead spots. Sometimes just run them without the heating element on.

I honestly don't don't know if this helps but I have got into the habit of opening curtains ie in the main room when heading off to bed at night to stop 'dead air' between the curtains and the glass. Won't help with heat loss and may be habit rather than logic, but don't have condensation problems.

Pondering getting some kick-plate fan heaters in the kitchen too.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Yanks have forced air heating in their homes don't they, which makes a great deal of sense.

Under floor heating makes even more though!

[Count Steer]

Yanks have forced air heating in their homes don't they, which makes a great deal of sense.

Under floor heating makes even more though!

I had a gas warm air unit in my last place. It was in a vented 'cupboard' accessed from outside the house, there was a big recirculation grill in the hall at the bottom of the coats cupboard and, I think it would take a certain amount of fresh from outside into the mix. (Every window was a double width, full height sliding door so it had nowhere to put radiators, just registers in front of each one). It was the house warmed up in about 10 mins. Downside was it was very dry. It originally had a humidifier built in but I think concerns over Legionnaires put paid to that before we moved in).

(The other minor stroke of design genius was sockets in the floor in the middle of the rooms, apart from the bedrooms and kitchen. Really useful).

[Wscad]

I’ve tapped in to the street lamp at the bottom ( note to self. Stop using the word bottom) of our garden

Showers are free. There is a roaring trade up here in fitting changeover switches

[Noggin]

We have a fan heater in the office. I hate it. Wherever it isn't 'aimed' it seems to create a cold breeze, so I am generally sat in the cold breeze! The office does need some extra heating at the moment, but I'm actually quite glad that the boss put it in a cupboard - my colleague would have it on all day, and he doesn't want that!!

[v8-powered]

So with me being a little bored last night I thought I'd be a saddo and monitor the temperature that our condensing boiler is pumping out - found it to run at around 74 degrees.
Now from what I understand that may mean that the return temp will be too high for it to actually condense efficiently? Anyone have much knowledge of this type of thing? Done a little reading and am reading 60 to 70 degrees output should be optimum with the return in the low 50's?

[Count Steer]

So with me being a little bored last night I thought I'd be a saddo and monitor the temperature that our condensing boiler is pumping out - found it to run at around 74 degrees.
Now from what I understand that may mean that the return temp will be too high for it to actually condense efficiently? Anyone have much knowledge of this type of thing? Done a little reading and am reading 60 to 70 degrees output should be optimum with the return in the low 50's?

I'd been pondering on this too. ^^ sounds like what I found (return temperature 54° kept cropping up). Annoyingly the info out there (especially that from the different boiler manufacturers!) is inconsistent. 65ish out 54ish back would be was what I came up with.

[v8-powered]

So with me being a little bored last night I thought I'd be a saddo and monitor the temperature that our condensing boiler is pumping out - found it to run at around 74 degrees.
Now from what I understand that may mean that the return temp will be too high for it to actually condense efficiently? Anyone have much knowledge of this type of thing? Done a little reading and am reading 60 to 70 degrees output should be optimum with the return in the low 50's?

I'd been pondering on this too. ^^ sounds like what I found (return temperature 54° kept cropping up). Annoyingly the info out there (especially that from the different boiler manufacturers!) is inconsistent. 65ish out 54ish back would be was what I came up with.

Think I may get the laser temp probe thing out later and point at the return pipework, I keep seeing similar figures quoted. We get an awful lots of moisture pumping out of the flue so to me that implies wasted energy.
Any little change may help, our gas bill for last month was £354.72 - wouldn't mind dropping that a bit!

[Mr. Dazzle]

Those laser temp things are an indication, at best. Way too many variables to really trust 'em unless you've been through a proper calibration on what you're measuring.

As above, I used a digital kitchen thermometer

55°C is the number I've seen too. Lower is gonna be better, but obviously hotter radiators warm your house quicker. Balances need to be struck!

[Count Steer]

Not too surprised to see a plume from the flue today...it's -4° out there. If it's cold enough you'll get one, there'll always be some moisture in the output.

[v8-powered]

Those laser temp things are an indication, at best. Way too many variables to really trust 'em unless you've been through a proper calibration on what you're measuring.

As above, I used a digital kitchen thermometer

55°C is the number I've seen too. Lower is gonna be better, but obviously hotter radiators warm your house quicker. Balances need to be struck!

I've actually got a proper Fluke thermal imaging camera in the garage but I'll look a proper bellend waving that around the pipework

[v8-powered]

Not too surprised to see a plume from the flue today...it's -4° out there. If it's cold enough you'll get one, there'll always be some moisture in the output.

I'm not WFH today so the heating is off!

[Mr. Dazzle]

Those laser temp things are an indication, at best. Way too many variables to really trust 'em unless you've been through a proper calibration on what you're measuring.

As above, I used a digital kitchen thermometer

55°C is the number I've seen too. Lower is gonna be better, but obviously hotter radiators warm your house quicker. Balances need to be struck!

I've actually got a proper Fluke thermal imaging camera in the garage but I'll look a proper bellend waving that around the pipework

Yeah but your family probably think that about you anyway

[Count Steer]

Those laser temp things are an indication, at best. Way too many variables to really trust 'em unless you've been through a proper calibration on what you're measuring.

As above, I used a digital kitchen thermometer

55°C is the number I've seen too. Lower is gonna be better, but obviously hotter radiators warm your house quicker. Balances need to be struck!

I've actually got a proper Fluke thermal imaging camera in the garage but I'll look a proper bellend waving that around the pipework

The 'theft of gas' boys used to use those. Quick scan of a block of flats and you could see where the CH was running....in flats that were supposed to be disconnected. (I think Clouseau use them to spot cannabis farms too).

[Greenman]

Those laser temp things are an indication, at best. Way too many variables to really trust 'em unless you've been through a proper calibration on what you're measuring.

As above, I used a digital kitchen thermometer

55°C is the number I've seen too. Lower is gonna be better, but obviously hotter radiators warm your house quicker. Balances need to be struck!

I've actually got a proper Fluke thermal imaging camera in the garage but I'll look a proper bellend waving that around the pipework

The 'theft of gas' boys used to use those. Quick scan of a block of flats and you could see where the CH was running....in flats that were supposed to be disconnected. (I think Clouseau use them to spot cannabis farms too).

I remember back when i used to grow *cough*chillies*cough* in the loft and in the snowy times mine was the only house with a bare roof due to the heat from the lights. This used to only be at night luckily as the lights didn't come on till 6pm then off at 6am. I used to get para as fuck about it. The slightest noise from a copper chopper and i would sit up in bed waiting for the knock on the door.

All in the past now though, i'm a good boy now and am luckily in a financial position as to where i don't have to do such things to make ends meet!...