Plumber suggesting thermostat in everyroom

[Bettyboo]

Hi

I would be grateful for thoughts on a suggestion received by a builder/plumber during a quote conversation.

I asked a builder/plumber to quote for new boiler, tank and putting some extra rads in loft and kitchen extension. He has advised that I have a thermostat in each room (will be 4 bed house) and a manifold is linked to tank and rads. He said I would then be able to control the heating much better and save energy costs. He said having this type of system is better than just turning rads off using thermostat control on rads.

I am not sure I would want a thermostat in every room. Does anyone have experience of this type of system or know of any benefits? He hasn't given me the quote yet.

Looking forward to your comments

Betty

 

[erpkid]

There are lots of new ways to control the heating. With good quality TRVs you get excellent per room control. Having an upstairs and a downstairs thermostat with two heating zones is as far as we usually go. On normal installations more is overkill although knowing the way this green thing is going overkill will become the norm.......

 

[stevetheplumber]

manifold systems are the latest thing and do work well its like having several zones

 

[Dotty]

manifold systems are the latest thing and do work well its like having several zones

Do these come with wireless stats Steve?

But then if all the floors are coming up to replumb the new circuits back to the manifolds I guess you'd bang in wired stats at the same time!

Doh!

 

[basildog]

Do these come with wireless stats Steve?

But then if all the floors are coming up to replumb the new circuits back to the manifolds I guess you'd bang in wired stats at the same time!

Doh!

It is all getting too complicated for it`s` own good I think ?
All great when new but a few years down the line when Bodge It & Co are called in to fix it they will disconnect and bypass everything just to get a fix ?
My mate is doing one now that the clients want to control remotely from their phones and i pads it is a large system and as he says it is becomming too complicated for the sake of it !

 

[Killy Bing]

Ive seen a few and they work very well.

An advantage is less joints,
one connection at the manifold and at the radiator per pipe.
unless you wish to have copper tails or Crome tails at which point you have another connection per pipe under the radiator.

The saving in energy costs will be far outweighed by the initial install if he is replumbing the entire system however.

My initial concern is that if he is a builder then this could be a cop out as you need very little understanding of a heating system to install.
easy to rip out everything and start again rather than add to the existing.

 

[SafeGasInstall]

Just like a UNFH but with a radiators and stat and programer for each zone .....

It will work efficient but do you really need it ,is the Q to ask your self !

Thermostatic valves will be another option , cheaper and they work really well

 

[Bettyboo]

OP here. Thanks everyone..

I pointed out to builder/plumber that I could just adjust/turn off the rads with the TVR’S but he said by having room thermostat in each room you could stop water going to the rads as required and that this was more energy efficient than just turning off TVR's, as he said the water still has to go to the rad. He is Polish.

 

[Dannyparty92]

If you shut the TRV off you still stop the flow to that radiator. He is asking for every room to be zoned? It is required by building regulations to have an additional heating zone if your house is bigger than 150 meters squared I believe. But for each room to have its own room thermostat is just silly as a TRV will be enough on its own!

 

[SimonG]

If you shut the TRV off you still stop the flow to that radiator. He is asking for every room to be zoned? It is required by building regulations to have an additional heating zone if your house is bigger than 150 meters squared I believe. But for each room to have its own room thermostat is just silly as a TRV will be enough on its own!

Not really, especially if the stats are programmable and linked back to the boiler. TRV will need manual intervention.

 

[basildog]

I would not think in an average size house the amount of pipework being heated up would really make any sinificant savings and also the warm pipework is providing some backgroung heating too ?
It really comes down to how much control a client wants I guess ?

 

[SafeGasInstall]

OP here. Thanks everyone..

I pointed out to builder/plumber that I could just adjust/turn off the rads with the TVR’S but he said by having room thermostat in each room you could stop water going to the rads as required and that this was more energy efficient than just turning off TVR's, as he said the water still has to go to the rad. He is Polish.

I really hope he knows what he is offering you , as if this gets installed and hard wood flooring goes down then it will be his insurance policy out which I hope he has too .
This type of installs should be given not to builder/plumber but a experience Heating engineer !

Polish builder/plumber will cost you probably less (few thousands ) but if he is telling you that there is water going to radiator when Thermostatic valve has been satisfied to the setting that has been pre set and is controlling the heat in the room then I will be LOOKING for a heating engineer who will work along with your builder to complete the install to a high standards and trouble free

 

[Howsie]

Over the top IMHO but can't really confirm without knowing the property.

 

[Bettyboo]

Yes have been getting heating engineer quotes, builder only offered to do work
What are your views on these TRVs please
Terrier i-temp website

 

[LPC]

What are your views on these TRVs please
Terrier i-temp website

Fitted them for someone once (they supplied). They work, but in my opinion they are overkill for most people/properties. And they looked a bit stupid, I thought.

Honestly I would just put some good quality TRVs in (Danfoss Ras-C are good).

 

[Howsie]

Decent TRV's are all you need to keep warm.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

:iagree: doing all sorts of arty farty manifolds and thermostats in every room is going to bump the cost up considerably. all you need are thermostatic rad valves and adjust accordingly.

 

[galaxy_plumbing]

as mentioned early, initial cost will be probably much more than your future savings. sounds like builder won't more profit. get good trv's and good plumber who knows what he's doing.

 

[Ermintrude]

I have had this in my last two houses and it's the rolls Royce trvs are a step down. Programmable sat to each room or each cluster ( em suite an master bed) my energy bills are lower than they used to be with decent control. My hues is beautifully warm ( when wife has heating on) expletive: our bedroom heats from 6.45 till 8. Family bath 8:11 playroom on during day off at 3. Underfloor on most of time on low temp on gf. Heating on at drliffrent times for different days in different rooms. Brilliant. Manifold ok but easier to fix with 2 port zone valves

I can recommend from experience as installer and home owner,

Honeywell 2 port valves switching volt free and Myson mptrf programmable smart start room stats. Cheaper last longer and easier to use than Honeywell equivalent also come in different colours!

 

[Gray0689]

It's not over the top where in 2013 control of every room is a must now imho
You can have wirless stats hard wired stats even as said linked up to smart phones and tablets
Plumbing in uk is behind the times and needs to catch up
The days of turn heat on and off in all the house is no good
For a little expense the return can be far greater imho

 

[Gray0689]

Bit bigger than standard uk property but system can be same if 10 bedroom to 1 bedroom property
Bit more expensive on material bt labour can be less as quicker to install generally

 

[Howsie]

Fine on new build but still over the top and disproportionally expensive as a retrofit IMHO. The customers initial request was for a new boiler, cylinder and a couple of rads.

I don't see plumbing being behind the times at all in the UK. I do see a lot of one trick ponies though.

 

[stevetheplumber]

i like systems with no joints below the floors espcialy in up market places with hardwood flooring and conduited in solid floors

 

[Gray0689]

Fine on new build but still over the top and disproportionally expensive as a retrofit IMHO. The customers initial request was for a new boiler, cylinder and a couple of rads.

I don't see plumbing being behind the times at all in the UK. I do see a lot of one trick ponies though.

Yes a lot of one trick ponies
Everyone to there own opinion but firing in a combi is all a lot know what to do
Embrace modern technology not the if it ain't broke don't fix it mentality
Of course it depends on circumstances and of course budget

 

[Jimbob]

I was asked to install a system like this. Really can't see the benefit, seems OTT and a gimmick to me also when TRVs do virtually the same job. Loads more pipes in floor. Would just go for UFH if new build, lose radiators all together.

I'm all for new ideas, but yet to be persuaded on this one