Zoned heating systems

niall_walsh

Hi all.

Does anyone have any recommendations on a zoned heating system for a central radiator system for a 2700 sq ft 2 storey house.

What about HRV.....are they a major addition or just another one of these gimmick fads our building industry has adopted?? In real terms what is the heating benefits...this is coming from someone who is fond of windows open even in winter!

All comments would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

sinnerboy

three zones should be fine
hot water
ground floor
first floor

don't consider HRV unless you are putting in place a strategy to achieve a good air tightness level

in an air tight building , providing you carefully select the right model , they do make sense

niall_walsh

Thanks sinner

Think my plan will be as follows.

1. Insulate well
2. Zoned heating
3. Oil condensing boilering using biodiesel as i have a biodiesel processor at home 15cent per litre max!
4. Poss solar panel as rear of house southfacing on hill.

Do-more

Make sure the electricians site the room stats correctly i.e. tell them where to put it, left to their own devices they will probably put them directly over a radiator just like in the new house I am renting at present! :rolleyes:

heinbloed

Modern boilers are closed systems.A tank in the attic would mean a loss of energy.A modern boiler switches off once the preset return temperature is reached. No matter what the radiator valves are doing or not doing.No matter how cold or warm the rooms are.

Slates

heinbloed wrote: »

Modern boilers are closed systems.A tank in the attic would mean a loss of energy.A modern boiler switches off once the preset return temperature is reached. No matter what the radiator valves are doing or not doing.No matter how cold or warm the rooms are.

Does this me that you only need 2 Thermostats, one for each zone in the main living are of each zone and you can put TRV on the rest of the rads ?

Slig

I never really seen the point in zoning the heating system from a practical point of view. For example:
Living room is accessed off hallway. Thermostat in hall is set to 18 degrees while living room is 21 degrees. there is usually nothing seperating them except a drafty poorly fittrd door. Same with ground and first floor, how many houses actually insulate between the floor joists?

sinnerboy

Zones are time and temp controlled . Usefull . And B regs requirement

Poor Uncle Tom

niall_walsh wrote: »

....as i have a biodiesel processor at home...

I don't mean to drag the thread off course, but......is that a bought or home made processor, Niall ?

sandt

Poor Uncle Tom wrote: »

I don't mean to drag the thread off course, but......is that a bought or home made processor, Niall ?

yes me too.....this sounds VERY interesting to me

Slig

sinnerboy wrote: »

Zones are time and temp controlled . Usefull . And B regs requirement

I dont doubt their use, in theory they work. but in practice if there is a gap of 10mm below the door seperating 2 zones or a stairwell, does it really contribute much?

heinbloed

A heating zone is in principal a room/space where the temperature is kept at a certain level.Therefore all heat emitting apliances like for example radiators should be controlled by thermostatic valves.Thermostats regulate the temperature emittance of the heatsource according to the sensed temperature in the room.I don't understand why it needs any further "zone" valves.If I leave a room for a longer period I switch off the radiator on the thermostat or reduce the heat emittance by turning back the thermostat. As I use light switches when leaving the room.The timer usually comes with the modern boiler, build-in.There is no need for further "zone" timers in standard household circumstances.Unless one is not willing to switch-off (or set-back) the thermostat manually. The "zone" timer would lead here to energy wastage by letting people believe that energy wasting won't happen because the "zone" timer would switch-off the energy consumption.It doesn't. The boiler will keep running as long it is turned on and senses a drop in the return temperature.

niall_walsh

I have a friend that makes the processors and biodiesel. Currently running van car home heating.....not a bad saving at all. Process is messy and requires small amount of tech knowledge but nothing anybody couldn't do with right instructions.

Fingallion

I recently zoned my house into 4 zones and the HW cylinder. There is a much better control on my gas cnsumption as a result. I uesed Honeywell valves and wall mounted 7 day t-stats to open the valves and turn on the pump and boiler, was simple enough plumbing and electrically.
Maybe if you are using a biofuel boiler this might not be the perfect solution on its own as zoning might result in more frequent cycling on and off of your boiler. If you installed a buffer tank that was heated by your boiler, then this might give your system more 'inertia'. You could look at also feeding the buffer tank from other heat sources too (solar, stove etc..).

sydthebeat

heinbloed wrote: »

A heating zone is in principal a room/space where the temperature is kept at a certain level.Therefore all heat emitting apliances like for example radiators should be controlled by thermostatic valves.Thermostats regulate the temperature emittance of the heatsource according to the sensed temperature in the room.I don't understand why it needs any further "zone" valves.If I leave a room for a longer period I switch off the radiator on the thermostat or reduce the heat emittance by turning back the thermostat. As I use light switches when leaving the room.The timer usually comes with the modern boiler, build-in.There is no need for further "zone" timers in standard household circumstances.Unless one is not willing to switch-off (or set-back) the thermostat manually. The "zone" timer would lead here to energy wastage by letting people believe that energy wasting won't happen because the "zone" timer would switch-off the energy consumption.It doesn't. The boiler will keep running as long it is turned on and senses a drop in the return temperature.

a boiler interlock is required to prevent this from happening

Fingallion

'Unless one is not willing to switch-off (or set-back) the thermostat manually. The "zone" timer would lead here to energy wastage by letting people believe that energy wasting won't happen because the "zone" timer would switch-off the energy consumption.It doesn't. The boiler will keep running as long it is turned on and senses a drop in the return temperature.'
Do you think that if one room is being heated that the energr consumption is the same as if 5 rooms were calling for heat?

copper12

Fingallion wrote: »

Maybe if you are using a biofuel boiler this might not be the perfect solution on its own as zoning might result in more frequent cycling on and off of your boiler. If you installed a buffer tank that was heated by your boiler, then this might give your system more 'inertia'. You could look at also feeding the buffer tank from other heat sources too (solar, stove etc..).

This would be the most efficient option; as your boiler could be set’ to run at its most efficient
In condensing mode

copper12

You probably no this already but you need to change the o rings to viton or similar and keep the amount of copper to a minimum ideally only the pipe work in the burner should be copper

pete6296

Where did you get the biodiesel condensing boiler?
Thanks,

niall_walsh wrote: »

Thanks sinner

Think my plan will be as follows.

1. Insulate well
2. Zoned heating
3. Oil condensing boilering using biodiesel as i have a biodiesel processor at home 15cent per litre max!
4. Poss solar panel as rear of house southfacing on hill.

leanbh

This post has been deleted.

BryanF

Don't grave dig threads start your own

leanbh

This post has been deleted.