Save money by turning off radiators?

flynnbags

Hi all, just looking for some advice on gas heating. I've just moved into a two bed house and for the first time have gas heating, which heats all the radiators and the hot water tank. Coming from an apartment with storage heating before this we were quite looking forward to escaping the cost that goes along with storage heating but our first gas bill has turned out to be pretty huge as well.

I suppose I can put this down to it being a cold spell since we moved in after Christmas and having the heating on quite a lot so I'll continue to monitor it but what I'm really wondering is now it is coming into the warmer months, does it save gas and money if we start turning the radiators off and just use the gas to heat the water? It seems like it obviously should be cheaper but having no experience of gas and gas boilers I just want somebody to clarify it for me.

Thanks in advance.

Wearb

flynnbags wrote: »

Hi all, just looking for some advice on gas heating. I've just moved into a two bed house and for the first time have gas heating, which heats all the radiators and the hot water tank. Coming from an apartment with storage heating before this we were quite looking forward to escaping the cost that goes along with storage heating but our first gas bill has turned out to be pretty huge as well.

I suppose I can put this down to it being a cold spell since we moved in after Christmas and having the heating on quite a lot so I'll continue to monitor it but what I'm really wondering is now it is coming into the warmer months, does it save gas and money if we start turning the radiators off and just use the gas to heat the water? It seems like it obviously should be cheaper but having no experience of gas and gas boilers I just want somebody to clarify it for me.

Thanks in advance.

Yes. Turn off the ones you don't need. Sometimes this can be done with a switch or thermostat. Owner should have explained all this to you.

HeidiHeidi

Was that an estimated bill or an actual reading one? I've just been hammered with an ENORMOUS bill from Electric Ireland (gas supply) because they "forgot" to send me the last bill so this one is for four months, and I can't remember the last time they actually read the meter so they're operating on months and months of estimates. (and putting in an actual reading does no good whatsoever, they don't amend the bill :mad:).

But in answer to your actual question, yes, turning off all rads means the gas only has to heat the tank instead of the whole system, should use less gas. How much difference this makes to your bill at the end of the day is debatable, though, considering the enormous standing charges that are applied.

flynnbags

Thanks all for your help. It's Bord Gais we're dealing with so it was actually reading we sent in that triggered the bill, so we know it's the correct readings at any rate.

I suppose the landlord assumed we knew how it all worked. I was just going to turn the knobs at all the radiators to turn them off but maybe there's a way to do it closer to the boiler? I haven't really looked at it in any depth since we moved in.

HeidiHeidi

flynnbags wrote: »

Thanks all for your help. It's Bord Gais we're dealing with so it was actually reading we sent in that triggered the bill, so we know it's the correct readings at any rate.

I suppose the landlord assumed we knew how it all worked. I was just going to turn the knobs at all the radiators to turn them off but maybe there's a way to do it closer to the boiler? I haven't really looked at it in any depth since we moved in.

You can do that, or sometimes there's a "zone" tap somewhere near the tank or boiler that means you can knock off all rads or upstairs or downstairs or whatever. All depends what way the system was installed.

Talk to the landlord, (s)he should know!

Wearb

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

You can do that, or sometimes there's a "zone" tap somewhere near the tank or boiler that means you can knock off all rads or upstairs or downstairs or whatever. All depends what way the system was installed.

Talk to the landlord, (s)he should know!

Wonderful info

flynnbags

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

You can do that, or sometimes there's a "zone" tap somewhere near the tank or boiler that means you can knock off all rads or upstairs or downstairs or whatever. All depends what way the system was installed.

Talk to the landlord, (s)he should know!

I'll do a bit of testing with the boiler over the weekend and see what controls what. Thanks for all the help, great to know.

MicktheMan

If you are to shut the heat off to some rooms, just be vigilant that you don't introduce damp and mould into the unheated rooms.