Simple ch problem?

[delbox]

Hi!

First post - so please be tolerant if I'm raising an issue that's been covered before.

My daughter has moved into an old mid-terraced property with a very basic wall-mounted boiler; it has a timer but no switching to permit heating only, or hot water only etc. The radiators are not fitted with thermostatically controlled valves and there is no room thermostat. A hot water tank is in the bathroom cupboard.

I know that fitting new radiator valves will save money - and we'll get round to it in time. However, what we'd like to be able to do now is have hot water only and no heating. So, the question is how?

When we had the boiler serviced the plumber pointed out that we could turn off a water valve beneath the hot water cylinder and said that would stop hot water circulating into the CH system; I don't think that he required any other settings. So, before we do so - and to ensure that we don't damage the system, I seek your views.

Another option would be to turn off each radiator at its valve - but then the piping would still be heated.

Clearly another idea might be to switch off the boiler - leaving the pilot lit - and just select on when she needs hot water. However, I presume that the heating would come on too?

There's an opportunity for her to save money and wasted energy - if only we knew what to do!

Del

 

[Garryaca@yahoo.]

Or you could get a bit of pipework and electrics done and add a motorised valve and a simple programmer

 

[delbox]

Garry,
Thanks for the input - but, for the present, money is very tight. She's just bought it as her first property and there are other things that need to be sorted first. Dealing best with what she's got is what we need to do now - but we'll bear in mind your suggestion.
Del

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

post a picture of the a/c we can identify said valve then but it will be on the flow to heating,dont turn all the rads off,you may find the glands on the valves leak if they are old

 

[delbox]

Mark,

Thanks for your advice about the radiator valves; that's one option that we will discount.

I don't understand what you mean by a/c; however, also, I can't post a picture - because I'm now at home in Lincolnshire and my daughter is away from her home in Nottinghamshire; sorry.

The valve is attached to a large bore horizontal pipe from the bottom of the hot water tank and has a red turn-wheel about 2 inches in diameter. My daughter closed that valve last night after that timer switched off the boiler - but the radiators were hot again this morning.

There is also another red turn-wheel attached to a similar bore vertical pipe coming down the side of the tank!

Del

 

[oldplumber]

dont turn off old gate valves, chances are they may shear off and then you will have to pay for a plumber. Main issues with a new house, stop any leaks in the roof, get electrics and plumbing sorted and only then decorate and lay carpets, doing anything else will always cause broken hearts and extra costs as you only damage work you have already paid for. I talk from years of experience and the hall carpets are now being laid after some 8 years and the house goes on the market shortly thereafter. big house, now i want a bungalow!!!!!!!!!

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

Mark,

Thanks for your advice about the radiator valves; that's one option that we will discount.

I don't understand what you mean by a/c; however, also, I can't post a picture - because I'm now at home in Lincolnshire and my daughter is away from her home in Nottinghamshire; sorry.

The valve is attached to a large bore horizontal pipe from the bottom of the hot water tank and has a red turn-wheel about 2 inches in diameter. My daughter closed that valve last night after that timer switched off the boiler - but the radiators were hot again this morning.

There is also another red turn-wheel attached to a similar bore vertical pipe coming down the side of the tank!

Del

a/c=airing cubored but a good point by oldplumber in regards to old gate valves

 

[Bernie2]

You have to go careful shutting valves on working heating systems. Its best to make sure the water can expand somewhere when heated.

But saying that, some systems where installed using a manual diverter valve arrangement. However it would be required to know the pipework layout to ascertain if your daughters central heating was one.

I guess you will just have to trust the Plumber and what he said.

 

[moony]

by sounds of it he is only shutting off the cold feed to cylinder.

this would not effect the heating side mearly isolate the hot water.

like one of the other lads suggested-

convert to a s or y plan..... wouldnt cost as much as the gas bill in the long run.

like old plumber said concentrate on the electrics and water side of things first before making it look pretty - as we have all come across people who have plastered and then weve had to either chase wall or run the hirrible trunking down walls lol.

good luck.

oh and some good points made about old valves - the horrible feeling when the wheel just spins and the hot water is shut off is not nice at all, cwcs full of water and a valve to change isnt the easiest of jobs.

 

[delbox]

Thank you all for your most helpful comments.

I suppose the next question is how much would it cost to supply and fit a y-plan to this most basic system - or would installing TCVs on each radiator be a cheaper option?

Del

 

[moony]

could be anywhere from 300-800 depending how much work is required, where the rads tee off etc.

i would be adding trvs as well as converting to s plan to get up to current regs.....

or i would bite the bullet and go for a condensing combi while youve got the chance to rip everything out.