Heating house while away in winter (1 Viewer)

Ivory55

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if you have a normal gas central heating system in your house to stop it freezing up how low do you set the temperature. Also do you set the time for coldest times of the day ie 4am approx then later in the day ? We normally use our wood burner 95% of the time when at home, but obviously this would not be possible if away. Cheers
 
Jan 10, 2013
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We set our thermostat to 15 degrees and the timer to come on for 2 hours from 4 a.m.- 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Not sure if this is the best way but we are away most winters and haven't had a burst yet.
 

Theonlysue

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Not long enough!
I set mine on constant at 15 degrees..wasn't expensive as just ticking over.
It was what the insurers required.
I also had to have someone come in weekly to check.

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Ivory55

Ivory55

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We will probably use more gas than when we are at home as heating is hardly ever on due to the stove being alight. Haha.
 
Sep 10, 2013
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Our Honeywell wall stat has a setting for time away which would come on at 10c.
it all depends on the type of system you have and the sophistication of the controls. Intelligent room stats are not expensive and are easy to fit, many communicate with the boiler wirelessly. At the upper end you can fit systems controlled by your phone so you can change it as you wish..happy travels.
 

andy63

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I'm away a lot from home..
I leave the heating on all time all year round and just set the stat as required depending on whether I'm home or away..
If away the stat is set to around 12 degrees and the heating comes on and off as required.. seems to work well.
Andy..

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Dave and Ginny

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We were away the entire Winter and I just turned everything off including the water at the stop cock outside. Just had some lights coming on and off etc. Within an hour of being home it was as if we'd never even been away...quite surprised really!
 

keith

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Set ours at 10c and on constant so it will come on whenever it gets cold.
Also turn of the water at main stopcock. We also have someone come in on a regular basis just to check all is OK.

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Mar 23, 2012
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Depends on the sort of water system you have we have a cold water tank in the loft so leave the heating on low and the loft hatch open so some heat goes in the loft to stop freezing up there. Set the heating on 10 degrees constant.
 

GWAYGWAY

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open the internal doors to allow the heat to circulate and turn off the mains pressure system as it is that that leaks and causes the mayhem because it does not stop coming.
 

Neckender

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Being an ex gas engineer I fitted a programmable room stat in the hall and one in our conservatory, two motorised valves so full control of the system. I turn the mains water off and set both thermostats to frost setting which is 5 degrees, once it reaches 6 degrees it switches off.
It does not warm our home up but prevents burst pipes etc.

John.
 

Badknee

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Well insulated lofts are great for keeping heat in the rooms below but beware if the water pipes/tanks are above the insulation! As has been said leaving loft hatches open will help but wastes a lot of heat. Better to make sure if you can that the water pipes are between the warm room below and the insulation and let the loft be cold.
Separate TRV's on every radiator if you look have an ice crystal symbol on them, this opens the TRV when the room temp gets down to between 2/4 deg C. So you could leave the system switched on and turn each TRV down to frost setting. This works great on combi heating systems but if you have a vented system won't work the same.

Edit, as Johns post above typed at the same time as mine.

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MillieMoocher

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Having spent many years in the Household insurance industry, and seen the consequences of damaged caused by burst pipes, avoiding a burst pipe is something that you should consider a priority when leaving your house in the winter.

Putting insurance aside, the fact is that a bad burst will mean your house is uninhabitable for maybe as much as 6 months as the property will only dry at a certain rate no matter how much money you throw at it. You'll be amazed how much water will flow through the house at full mains pressure!

I'd not wish a burst pipe of flood an anyone.

To help prevent a burst pipe, if you've got central heating then set your thermostat to 15%, and leave heating on 24/7. Putting it on for a couple of hours am and pm will not be enough in the event of a cold snap.

Leave internal doors open

Leave your loft hatch open. (An unintended consequence of loft insulation is that lofts get way colder than they did before, and you can have a warm house but loft could be cold enough to freeze pipes.)

If you don't have central heating, turn the water off . Some recommend draining down too, which is the ultimate answer as even with the water off, the amount of water held in the loft tank will still cause a lot of damage should things go pear shaped.

Please note that I'm now retired, and so the advice and information above can only be regarded as personal view and not "official" guidance . (Sorry about the last comment, but when working we were so heavily regulated that arse covering is second nature when talking about insurance type matters!)
 

DBK

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My MIL came stay with us one Christmas, she lived in Sussex and while she was away there was a severe cold snap. She got back home to a flooded house from a leak in the roof. Took 9 months or so before she could live there again.
 

Theonlysue

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Not long enough!
Does anyone Check what their home insurance requirements are?

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Aug 6, 2013
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Having spent many years in the Household insurance industry, and seen the consequences of damaged caused by burst pipes, avoiding a burst pipe is something that you should consider a priority when leaving your house in the winter.

Putting insurance aside, the fact is that a bad burst will mean your house is uninhabitable for maybe as much as 6 months as the property will only dry at a certain rate no matter how much money you throw at it. You'll be amazed how much water will flow through the house at full mains pressure!

I'd not wish a burst pipe of flood an anyone.

To help prevent a burst pipe, if you've got central heating then set your thermostat to 15%, and leave heating on 24/7. Putting it on for a couple of hours am and pm will not be enough in the event of a cold snap.

Leave internal doors open

Leave your loft hatch open. (An unintended consequence of loft insulation is that lofts get way colder than they did before, and you can have a warm house but loft could be cold enough to freeze pipes.)

If you don't have central heating, turn the water off . Some recommend draining down too, which is the ultimate answer as even with the water off, the amount of water held in the loft tank will still cause a lot of damage should things go pear shaped.

Please note that I'm now retired, and so the advice and information above can only be regarded as personal view and not "official" guidance . (Sorry about the last comment, but when working we were so heavily regulated that arse covering is second nature when talking about insurance type matters!)
Top advice. I'd never go away in the cold season without first opening the loft hatch. I too set the heating to 15 degrees & on 24/7.
 

Langtoftlad

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Screenshot_2016-08-29-11-52-51.png
I also Hive heating control - the system defaults to 7° "frost protection" when system is off.
Do for me.
 

Lot lover

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We are thinking of going away for a month or two early next year.
Plan to switch off water at the meter and drain the pipes (french houses don't have cold water tanks).
Switch off CH system but that contains anti-freeze so should be ok
Will check with insurance co to see if they have any special anti-payout rules.

May have to continuing living in MH for a day or few when we get back though.

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pappajohn

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Xabia

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Just had the annual boiler check from British Gas and was chatting to the engineer telling him that when I was away in winter I left the heating on at 10C. He advised an increase to 15C as he had known cases of burst pipes at 10C. For the marginal additional cost, and the increased security, I am going to take his advice. I always turn off at the mains, a friend came back to a flooded house. The middle of summer, a ball cock had failed on an upstairs toilet - made a real mess of the house!

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Mar 23, 2012
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sleights
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Yes but the 7degree frost protection is for the heating system it could be a lot less in the loft not a problem if you have a combi but could be if you have pipes up there. If its only the frost protection you want a hive is a very expensive way of getting it if you are in and out different days different times with no fixed pattern it could be fantastic.
 

Langtoftlad

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Wonderful device......

Oh, i THINK it MIGHT be cold at home so I'll turn up the heating...

When in reality its already reasonably warm.
If you actually looked at my Hive screen capture - you might notice that Hive monitors current house temperature & target temperature - so no "thinking" involved... :rolleyes:.
System monitors ambient & switches on heating if necessary :whistle:
So sarcasm aside - it is a wonderful device :cool:.
 

Langtoftlad

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... if you are in and out different days different times with no fixed pattern it could be fantastic.
Precisely - no unecessarily heating an empty house whilst out, no coming back to a cold home because you haven't adjusted the timer.
I disagree it was expensive...
I needed a replacement programmer, & the original room stat was "vague" at best.
I reckon the cost has been equalled by less wasteful use & more accurate control.
YMMV

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