Turning Off Radiators To Save Money.

[divegirl]

As above, can someone explain to me how this works?

Does it work on all heating systems? I can't get my head round it, surely the water still has to run through the whole system or is that the trick, if it doesn't have to go into each radiator that is where the energy is saved.
And finally is it cost effective, will there be a noticeable saving?

Lisa x

[KARL]

The principle is very simple: If you don't use something that costs money to run you "save". Thus if you park your car and take it off the road, you "save" the cost of running a car - but you either stay put or go by other means. If you don't eat you "save" the cost of food, including cooking it - but you go hungry. Similarly, if you prevent your radiators from heating up, you "save" on the cost of running the heating system - but you will have no heat. By implication, the poor who have nothing "save" huge sums. To me, this is a misuse of the word - going without is not a saving, continuing to enjoy something at a reduced cost is.

[pixie373]

Hi Lisa. We turned all our upstairs radiators off about three years ago. They're really not needed. However, i have to say, i haven't noticed any difference in the bills at all!

[factor-fiction]

I think it just means that the boiler needs to work less hard as it has less water to heat

[taichiperson]

Turning a radiator off prevents the water running through it, but it depends how your system is set up. Presumably if you have a thermostat (say in the hall) the remaining radiators have to work harder to get the house up to temperature.

I've no idea if it's cost effective, as we have storage radiators and a coal/wood fire.

[woofgang]

I have thermostatic valves and keep the unused rooms turned down and the door shut. If you leave the doors open then there is no saving.

[Old_Geezer]

Not read the ansers and I'm sure they expain but the water doesn't run through the whole system of you turn a radiator off, it doesn't run through that radiator but bypasses it. Cosequently the water doesn't lose heat there and so needs less reheating when it gets back to the boiler.

[Old_Geezer]

ANSWERS
like I typed :-(

[ummmm]

I don't have central heating. Our boiler broke, we fixed it, it broke again, we fixed it, it broke again and I decided I quite like it cold :-)

We have a gas fire in the living room, underfloor heating in the kitchen and electric blankets if needed. Our gas DD has been reduced to £3 per month.

[The Builder]

Lisa, if you have rad valves with numbers on them, turn down to either "1", or the "*" frost setting.

The flow will then bypass the rad and carry on to the next. They're not connected in "series"

[society]

Why would you want to put your head round the heating system?

[divegirl]

Ooops Could have sworn I replied to this... thank you all for your comments.

Lisa x

[rob2024]

Yes it is pointless to have one room's radiator turned off, walls also convect heat so if one room is colder than the next then it will draw heat from next door and the radiator in the adjoining room will have to keep working longer to maintain the overall house temperature