Temperature: What Temp to put the gas on at to heat your home?

[Sarah]

This probally sounds like a stupid question but does anyone know what Temp to put the gas on at to heat your home? Apparently if you reduce your temp by one degree it can reduce your bill by 10% so just wondering?

Thanks

 

[Carpenter]

Re: Temperature

Most oil fired boilers allow temperature to be adjusted from 60 deg up to 90 degrees, I'm sure the range is similar on the gas boiler. The temperature should be reduced during the summer when hot water only is required, increasing the temperature during the colder winter months. I would recommend setting the temp. at least to 65-67.5 degrees anyway as any lower could allow bacteria to grow in the immersion storage tank. During the winter months I would suggest 80- 85 degrees. You could also cut down on heat losses from the system by ensuring that all pipework connected to the hot water cylinder are lagged for at least 1m from their connection to the tank- this is a building regulation requirement which is routinely ignored. Fitting thermostatic radiator valves to your radiators (if not already fitted) could further improve the efficiency of the system.

 

[Sarah]

Re: Temperature

Thanks for that carpenter im due to go down to do my snag on Friday (was supposed to be today but something about the painters having to go to a funeral!) so ill check out the pipes then as well.


Thanks a mill

 

[legend99]

Re: Temperature

Most oil fired boilers allow temperature to be adjusted from 60 deg up to 90 degrees, I'm sure the range is similar on the gas boiler. The temperature should be reduced during the summer when hot water only is required, increasing the temperature during the colder winter months. I would recommend setting the temp. at least to 65-67.5 degrees anyway as any lower could allow bacteria to grow in the immersion storage tank. During the winter months I would suggest 80- 85 degrees. You could also cut down on heat losses from the system by ensuring that all pipework connected to the hot water cylinder are lagged for at least 1m from their connection to the tank- this is a building regulation requirement which is routinely ignored. Fitting thermostatic radiator valves to your radiators (if not already fitted) could further improve the efficiency of the system.

The builders I had in Cork, probably Corks biggest builder.....they deined flatly that there was any requirement to lag any pipes in the hot press.

 

[Carpenter]

Re: Temperature

Reference to "Building Regulations TGD Part L, Section 3: Insualtion of Hot Water Storage Vessels, Pipes and ducts" says otherwise!

"The hot pipes connected to hot water storage vessels, including the vent pipe and the primary flow and return to the heat exchanger, where fitted should be insulated.....for at least one metre from their point of connection or up to the point where they are concealed"

Check out http://www.environ.ie (www.environ.ie) for full extract of the Technical Guidance document in PDF file.

 

[Carpenter]

Re: Temperature

I've never seen this done by the way, though I regularly flag it on snag lists etc! I did it myself in our own house, not sure how much heat loss I'm preventing but the trickle of heat that is still lost is more than adequate for airing clothes etc.

 

[legend99]

Re: Temperature

Reference to "Building Regulations TGD Part L, Section 3: Insualtion of Hot Water Storage Vessels, Pipes and ducts" says otherwise!

"The hot pipes connected to hot water storage vessels, including the vent pipe and the primary flow and return to the heat exchanger, where fitted should be insulated.....for at least one metre from their point of connection or up to the point where they are concealed"

Check out http://www.environ.ie (www.environ.ie) for full extract of the Technical Guidance document in PDF file.

I know..it was on my snag....but it was leading into such hassle that I just told them to ignore it....always intending to do it myself..but new baby in the house, so it suits to have the hot press very warm at the moment....the cylinder itself is a rapid recovery cylinder fully factory insulated.

 

[Carpenter]

Re: Temperature

My builder told me the cylinder was a rapid recovery one also, mind you I can't find any reference to this description/ term anywhere, could you shed some light on what exactly this means, please?

 

[legend99]

Re: Temperature

i bought my cylinder myself....so it came from the guy in Irish International in Cork...i knew someone who knew the plumber so he did it for me direct on the site without informing the builder...charged me for it, but charged less than the builder would have.

Basically, the theory as I recall was that it hats water far faster because rather than having a single element ala a kettle, it was a coil element that goes from the top of the cylinder down to the bottom of the cylinder so it should heat water far faster. I was recommended to get this by the guy who i actually knew in the plumbing shop as I was also getting a power shower and he said it would make life far easier in terms of not running out of water...it also heats the water far fatser i think even as you are using water.

 

[Imperator]

Re: Temperature

Carpenter

I think the requirement for insulation is more to do with Health and Safety (to prevent contact with a hot surface) rather than heat conservation / environmetal issues. In the heavy process industries, the main requirement for some pipelines is that they be insulated where easily accessible by people for burn prevention.

Imperator

 

[Carpenter]

Re: Temperature

Ok this might be a concern in an industrial setting, but the building regulations concerned (Part L) are for the "conservation of Fuel and Energy - Dwellings". Section 3, par. 3.1 says: "All hot water storage vessels, pipes and ducts associated with the provision of heating and hot water in a dwelling should be insulated to prevent heat loss..." In most domestic installations the water stored in the storage cylinder would be at or near the temeprature of the room rads when the system is running, so your point about insulation offering protection against burns is not valid in the domestic situation.