Zone Heating - Are new rules sensible?

[dontknowitall]

As I understand things where a new heating system is being installed in a domestic dwellings over there have to be at least two heating zones. These are usually living area and sleeping area or upstairs and downstairs.

Assuming I'm correct ...

Will this really save fuel or will it use more fuel?

My thinking is that heat rises so if you're not heating upstairs the heat from downstairs rises to the cooler temperature upstairs. This means some heat downstairs is being lost so you have to heat downstairs more and at a higher temperature to compensate for this heat loss.

Using this logic, if you heat the whole building then although you're heating upstairs when you might not be using that space at least you're not running the boiler for longer than necessary to warm downstairs.

One way round this could be to shut the bedroom and bathroom doors. But this doesn't stop the heat going up through the ceilings or up the stairs. So should you zone the landing radiator(s) with downstairs?

Additionally, the extra wiring and plumbing means more van trips for the installation, which costs the customer more and uses more fuel for the van. The extra wiring and pipework requires more raw materials to be mined from the planet.

So is it really that environmentally friendly?

 

[smillsey]

in britain you on about?

 

[smillsey]

and yes its a load of rubbish,

Then again if you are old you like to be warm in bed, and you could have a room stat controlling boiler and that zone over night, turning off rest of house.

Load of poop on a combi swap,

Custards wont pay for it,

Interlock,
TRVs

Done

Edit: they reckon RF TRV Zone thingys get around it,

In my eyes a TRV is a "Zone" valve, well that would be my argument even though it isnt....

 

[dontknowitall]

Bump ...

 

[Gray0689]

Yes it's better
All houses should be zoned

 

[pobsdad]

Some Bugga on a massive salary has to come up with an idea every couple of years to justify his existance.This must be the latest one.As usual,the Gov.are trying to look like they care about Green issues,and screwing up.Spend a tenner to save a fiver,seems to be the order of the day.The whole thing is about looking good,and getting money circulating.As long as money changes hands,the treasury get a share,so they want us to spend,spend,spend!Even though we're all skint!

 

[capitanpugwash]

My thinking is that heat rises so if you're not heating upstairs the heat from downstairs rises to the cooler temperature upstairs. This means some heat downstairs is being lost so you have to heat downstairs more and at a higher temperature to compensate for this heat loss.

Using this logic, if you heat the whole building then although you're heating upstairs when you might not be using that space at least you're not running the boiler for longer than necessary to warm downstairs.

One way round this could be to shut the bedroom and bathroom doors. But this doesn't stop the heat going up through the ceilings or up the stairs. So should you zone the landing radiator(s) with downstairs?

Additionally, the extra wiring and plumbing means more van trips for the installation, which costs the customer more and uses more fuel for the van. The extra wiring and pipework requires more raw materials to be mined from the planet.

So is it really that environmentally friendly?

I think your logic is a little muddled.

Along the lines of driving faster to get somewhere quickly so that the engine is running less. The engine running, uses fuel, therefore the less time your engine is running the less fuel you use. Therefore drive faster to save fuel... (but I know that you already drive this as you have a white van )

Or: the more I study, the more I know. The more I know, the more I forget. The more I forget, the less I know, so why study.....

The less you heat upstairs, the more you have to heat downstairs (by a little), but the amount you save upstairs (the amount remembered) is greater than the amount of energy used downstairs extra (the bit more heating). This means that your net result is that zoning (studying) gives you more knowledge (energy saved).

Because... not heating upstairs will indeed mean that downstairs will be working a little harder. This does not however mean that your TOTAL energy used will be more. Only that instead of it being only 50% of the energy used, it might be 60 or 65% (say). However, you will not be losing as much heat from the walls and ceilings and windows of the unheated upstairs rooms due to the reduced differential temperature between the outside and the inside.

You will definitely save energy/money. As for the extra trips to the plumbers merchants, surely when you install TRVs or rads with a system, you don't make a separate trip after the job is complete surely? You just buy them when you're at the merchants in the first place?

As for resources. I've zoned our house and you're talking an extra motorised valve, extra controller, few metres of extra cable and a few extra lengths of copper for the extra runs. Consider the saving in energy (coal being burned in the uk) and it's a winner every time with a quick payback.

Anyway off to bed on that one.

 

[dontknowitall]

Brilliant, Captainpugwash and many thanks for taking the time to explain!

Excellent comparison with driving and studying. Re the driving I meant more trips to the customer as opposed to the merchants as the job will take longer to install but am happy to go along with your thoughts!

btw, my van's light blue ...

 

[capitanpugwash]

DKIA,

The problem I do see however is that if you are a decent installer you will quote for the new regs with zoning, controls etc and the additional costs, only to be undercut by someone else who doesn't. With no enforcement, it'll be a disadvantage for the better installers. There lies the rub. Who enforces this? I'm sure that toothless GasSafe won't...

As for your van, if it's a light blue and a Ford, it will be equally fast in the eyes of the gods. Fear not

 

[dontknowitall]

Light blue Ford Transit (with a massive boiler under the bonnet) ...