GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR HEATING SYSTEM

Most modern heat only systems have three important controls. These control the temperatures on a traditional system.
Combination boilers have fewer controls that are more self-evident. The important principle in understanding how to
get the best out of the system is heat transfer. Heat will transfer most readily from a hot to a cold environment. It is key
to rember this when setting the thermostats.

1. The boiler thermostat. This is normally found on the boiler. Modern boilers often use thermistors to measure the
    temperature of the water and display this to the nearest degree. Older room sealed appliances this was controlled
    by a thermostat that was graded with numbers typically from 1 to 6. Ideally we turn this up to a temperature that
    gives hot radiators. The higher this is the quicker the property is likely to heat up. This however has to be modified
    to ensure that the radiator if touched does not scaled either small children or the elderly. The other reason for
    reducing the temperature is only applicable to a condensing boiler. For a condensing boiler we want to ensure
    that the boiler runs in "condensing mode". To ensure this is the case the return temperature would be about 53 degrees.

2. The cylinder thermostat. This is located in the airing cupboard attached to the front of the cylinder. This controls
    how hot the hot water is. Normally these are calibrated and no mre than 60 degrees centigrade is a suitable
    setting. This is the temperature at the level of the thermostat and at the top of tank the water can be much hotter.
    Legionnaires disease thrives in temperatures between 25 - 45 and are therefore best avoided. Legionnaires disease
    can give symptoms lie flu (ie high temperature, cough, muscle pain, headache and could lead on to diarrhoea and signs
    of mental confusion). The good news is at 55degrees centigrade they die within 5-6 hours. If you don't have a cylinder
    thermostat the temperature set on the boiler will control the temperature your hot water could reach. However this is
    not efficient as having a separate control on the cylinder.

3. The room thermostat. This is the control which we are all most use to. Ideally we want to keep it as low as possible,
    the lower it is the less the heating will cost as it won't be on as much. However if you are sitting around a comfortable
    temperature is 21 and 22 or 23 if you are elderly. Most room stats have a range over which they operate ie if set at
    21 will turn off when the room reaches 22 and then only turn back on when the room drops to 19. Manufactures try
    to reduce this problem by adding a small resistor which helps to heat the room stat control when the heating is on.
    However in order for this to work a three core and earth cable would have to have been run and therefore often this
    not connected up. Programmable room thermostats can help reduce bills by allowing users to enter a time temperature
    profile. However these require "programming" and are hard for some to understand.