Turning off radiators in empty rooms to reduce bills?

galwayguy85

Hello Folks.

I would just like to get a second (more 'qualified' than I will ever be) opinion about the merits of turning the dials of radiators to the 'off' position fully to save energy and thus reduce bills.

I'm a tenant in a shared house, where all the Airtricity bills are split.

The heating in the terraced house is supplied through Airtricity (little white box on the front of the house, I can't think of more correct term).

Anyway, another tenant moved in November. Towards the middle of December she completely vanished. Her room still open and her effects scattered everywhere. No notes or contact details were left. Facebook messages were sent enquiring if she was ever coming back, but they were never read or received. These message were sent towards the end of Jan.

Thinking that she may never come back again, I thought it best to twist the dials on either side of her radiator to the off position to try and reduce as much as possible, expecting she'd never be back to pay her share of the 2-monthly bill.

The cut a long story short, she came back last week. With about as much forewarning as her initial departure.

She doesn't want to her share of the combined heating+elec. bill on the basis that she wasn't here and furthermore her privacy was 'invaded' which I can kind of understand, but based on the facts known at the time I felt it best to switch the heating to her room. Why should the others in the house pick up the tabs?

From an entirely technical point of view, did I completely waste by time in switching off just one radiator in a relatively modern, centrally-heating 4 bedroom house?

Thanks for any feedback.

Wearb

There are savings from doing this. But you need to keep the door to that room closed.

On an other note, whether she was there or not, she had the use of the room and needs to pay her share, but if you turn off her heating and allow her stuff to get damp, then she has a point. I know you were in a difficult situation. You need to discuss her attitude with her and come to an agreement on what is to be done in her absence. With somebody like that I would need advance payments.

galwayguy85

Thanks for backing me up on that. The door to her room was always kept closed out of respect for her privacy.

I can understand now that her room may have become damp, that said, most of her clothes and other gear were already thrown in a heap on the floor and would've needed washing in any event. It's a south-facing room, should that make any difference.

Yeah, hopefully we can come to some arrangement.

Myself and another lad work day jobs. The other guy works night. Consequently the heating was on at least 8 or 9 hours a day for the winter passed. I just wanted to avoid as much as possible a total bills train-wreck!

I'l say nothing on this thread of one of the flatmates sometime forgetting to switch the immersion off and the consequent evil 'rumblings' coming from the attic and the torrents of boiling hot water gushing forth form every faucet.

The slings and arrows of outrageous house-sharing fortune.

Wearb

If Immersion heater is boiling the water, you need to tell the landlord. That is dangerous and costly. Built-in thermostat should be turning it off.