Winter is almost here, are you prepared? It is important to ensure that your central heating system is up to par. An enjoyable holiday season is only possible if all parts of the system are operating properly. There are a few problems that can, and usually do, occur at the most inconvenient of times. Frost damage is a frequent occurrence that can harm both boilers and pipes.
In previous years, the central heating system was designed with the frost thermostat located near the boiler. Its job was to start the boiler when the air temperature dropped and stop the boiler when the air temperature reached an acceptable level. If the thermostat detected excessive heat escaping from the boiler or surrounding pipes it quickly turned off the system, in order to conserve energy and prevent excessive heating of the home.
Modern central heating design has solved the problem of heat escape through improved insulation but in doing so, created another problem. The boiler and pipes are now much more insulated, in an attempt to conserve energy. Unfortunately, the frost thermostat is no longer capable of accurately determining the temperature. As a result, wasteful overheating can easily occur.
The pipe thermostat is one solution. The product is installed on the boiler return pipe. This thermostat detects changes in pipe temperature and prevents overheating by shutting off the system when necessary. There are several UK companies that sell the frost thermostat and low limit pipe thermostat together in one kit. These products allow you to adjust room temperature and provide frost protection for your boilers and pipes.
Set up and installation of the thermostats is easy and user friendly. Directions for installation and wiring arrive along with the product, all in one kit. Frost thermostats are commonly set to 5C and pipe thermostats are usually set to 25C. If you have additional exposed pipes (e.g in the garage), extra thermostats can be bought to secure your central heating system completely.
Another heating regulation solution is the fully programmable room thermostat. Such devices are normally installed inside the living area (typically the hallway or the living room) to take a typical measure of the room temperature. Modern designs can be set to alter the temperature several times throughout the course of a day. More recent kits have wireless models that operate via a radio signal from the thermostat to the boiler. Such RF (Radio Frequency) thermostats are easy to install as they do not require wiring, but rather use a secure radio frequency to relay their reading to the boiler control unit.
Thermostats are a crucial part of the central heating system but there are other considerations to heating your home as efficiently as possible. Dividing the home into heating zones can be helpful. By focusing heat solely in the most populated parts of the home, less frequently used rooms can be kept at lower temperatures. This slight adjustment can reduce heating bills and heat the home more effectively.
Tal Potishman, editor of Heating Central, writes articles about central heating, boiler, plumber Liverpool, underfloor heating and solar thermal. He specializes in helping save money by advising on efficient heating.