# heating water when rads not required?



## kilbird (9 Feb 2009)

What way is best to heat the water during the summer etc when the heating would not be on? 

Have heard both options (1) have an immersion installed (2) Use the boiler but turn down the stats/rads off and water will heat?


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## sydthebeat (9 Feb 2009)

if you have stats.. .then definitely turn off.

if not, next best is to turn off valves..

immersion as last option.


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## Padraigb (9 Feb 2009)

Depending on the design of your system, it might be possible to fit one stopcock that isolates the radiator system and allows the boiler to heat only the water in the tank.


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## chrisboy (9 Feb 2009)

normally theres a big red handled valve in the hot press for the rads. When its in line with the pipe its open, when its perpendicular to the pipe its closed. just close this to turn off all rads.


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## Jane Doe (9 Feb 2009)

chrisboy said:


> normally theres a big red handled valve in the hot press for the rads. When its in line with the pipe its open, when its perpendicular to the pipe its closed. just close this to turn off all rads.


some houses have this in the boiler press if gas don't they?


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## Curious81 (9 Feb 2009)

chrisboy said:


> normally theres a big red handled valve in the hot press for the rads. When its in line with the pipe its open, when its perpendicular to the pipe its closed. just close this to turn off all rads.



Not sure if this is a stupid question... is just truning off all the radiators individually as good as closing this valve?


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## DavyJones (9 Feb 2009)

There is no such thing as normal. It depends on age of system and who fitted it, too many varibles to advice without seeing.

Pay a plumber to have a look or better still ask for a price for works, he/she may point out if a valve is indeed fitted.


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## DavyJones (9 Feb 2009)

Curious81 said:


> Not sure if this is a stupid question... is just truning off all the radiators individually as good as closing this valve?



Yes, but a pain in the bottom.


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## Curious81 (9 Feb 2009)

DavyJones said:


> Yes, but a pain in the bottom.




Thanks! I live in a 1-bed at the moment so its not so bad for me


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## DavyJones (9 Feb 2009)

Curious81 said:


> Thanks! I live in a 1-bed at the moment so its not so bad for me




And to make it easier, you only have to turn off one valve on each radiator.


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## bskinti (9 Feb 2009)

Get a plumber to install an electric isolation valve, I have a rake of them for heating zone's, bath water,etc and all on a board in utility room where oil heating controls are.


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## eamonn123456 (10 Feb 2009)

My understanding is that you can only isolate the tank from the rads using a valve if they are on a separate 'circuit' of piping - wrong jargon I am sure - correct me if I am wrong in any case?

I wondered about this myself, in my case I believe I can only heat the tank independently by switching off all rads at the individual valves.  That's a lot of rads, but I would probably only do this once in late spring, and change it back in late summer.

I was wondering tho whether it would work out cheaper to just use the immersion, because running the (oil fired condensing) boiler just to heat a tank seems inefficient, as you are getting the boiler up to heat, and you have hot water in the pipe run as far as the tank.  Mind you, the price of electric right now compared with oil (at 44.5c a litre the other day) made me think that I am as well off burning a litre of oil a day to heat my water (lots of water from that) as to use 2 units of electricity (roughly the same price) which won't go as far in heating water.

Does that make sense?


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## leex (12 Feb 2009)

Curious81 said:


> Not sure if this is a stupid question... is just truning off all the radiators individually as good as closing this valve?



I would say no as you're still heating the pipes.


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## DavyJones (12 Feb 2009)

leex said:


> I would say no as you're still heating the pipes.




you are incorrect.

Let's assume there is 10 litres of water in every panel of a radiator, so double panel = 20L. Once you cut circulation to a rad you automatically stop heating this extra water.

The main line will still carry hot heating water to the cylinder from the boiler but all branches off to rads will not circulate, I.E if there is 10 feet of pipe from the main line to rad, this entire lenght will be cool as the water cannot circulate. this again cuts down on amount of water that is heated.


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## mimmi (12 Feb 2009)

Padraigb said:


> Depending on the design of your system, it might be possible to fit one stopcock that isolates the radiator system and allows the boiler to heat only the water in the tank.


 
Our is set up like this.The boiler fires itself during the day and this keeps the water hot enough for our needs - showers and washing up. When we want the raditators on we just turn the lever and switch the central heating on. We have certainly saved money and our ESB bills are reasonable.


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## NHG (13 Feb 2009)

I set our immersion on a timer.


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