I'm trying to decide whether to split the upstairs and downstairs heating circuits into 2 separate zones (in addition to the towel rail zone) or leave them as one; any views on whether it's worthwhile? The main advantage is when someone is working at home during the winter so only the downstairs needs to be heated, but does it really make a difference? Has anybody done it and seen any real benefits? Are there any other times when it's useful?
Dave S
It depends on how often you are likely to want the upstairs and downstairs heating on at different times, and how easy it is to achieve. Actually, it doesn't even need to be different times in absolute terms. With programmable stats up and down, you could have different temp vs time profiles within the same overall time span. You might want the bedrooms and bathroom to get hot a bit sooner than the kitchen/dining room etc. and let them cool off a bit once you are dressed.
I would certainly zone my system if it were feasible. Unfortunately, all the main distribution pipes are at first floor level, with individual upward branches for each upstairs rad and downwards branches for the downstairs rads. I cannot therefore make two circuits without complete re-piping. I suppose I could have one zone per *room* - but that gets a bit expensive!
A different time and temperature zone. Cuts about 20% from your gas bill, if you only have upstairs on when needed. Well worth it. Are you installing a new system?
I did it, but as "Set Square" said, it depends on your usage of the house. It's not unknown for me to come in late and go straight to bed, so heating downstairs is pointless until the morning.
One mistake I made in the design was that when calculating the heat losses/gains, I assumed that the upstairs rooms would gain heat from the downstairs rooms as one normally would. In a zoned system where you can have only the upstairs heating on, this isn't true. There's enough spare capacity to deal with this, but it does take longer to heat the upstairs than I would have liked. If I did it again, I would do the upstairs calculations based on reduced or no heat gain from downstairs.
Another thing I did is to include full-bore isolation valves on each zone, so if a zone has a failure such as a broken pipe, I can isolate it and continue using the other zones. This was also necessary during installation because I had the upstairs zone installed and operating before I'd finished the main downstairs zone. I thought it would also be useful if the system started suffering pressure drop -- again I could isolate zones to narrow down where the drop was. Fortunately, I've not had to do this.
I did this in my smallish terrace house as an experiment as it cost next to nothing in bits and pieces, just a lot of labour pulling up floorboards. Next problem is that upstairs always needs rads on in bathroom and toilet for creature comfort, while downstairs kitchen may need similar. So this was the design of the valves. Having done this, if the doors in these rooms are habitually left open the little rads in there with their own thermostats will be permanently on full flow and attempt to heat the whole upstairs/downstairs space. So fuel economy improvement is probably less than expected.
john
House training. That is what you need.
My bathroom is downstairs and stuck out the back in a lean-to construction, so I have a similar issue. Additionally, it has lots of outside walls and roof (although I replaced the ceiling with Cellotex) so it takes a long time to warm up. I have this on a separate zone, which is heated if either of the upstairs or downstairs zones are calling for heat. It won't maintain full temperature if the downstairs zone is off because there will be too much heat lost to the rest of the downstairs, but effectively forms a set- back which prevents it from getting too cold and speeds up warming up when the downstairs zone comes on in the morning.
I did it in 1979 when installed the system here. Wife was working at home in an upstairs bedroom. The bathroom (and a small boxroom) are permanently connected so the bathroom is always heated. Room thermostats upstairs and down select the levels for either. The thermostats used to be Satchwell Sunvic bimetal type but now changed to Danfoss 7 day electronic (time/temperature bands throughout the week).
Geo
In message , Dave writes
I've had a system running like this for the past 14 years. As others have said, there are real advantages - not only in reduced running costs but in being able to isolate part of the system and work on it without losing heating for the rest of the house.
Unhesitatingly recommended. Go for it! Lisci
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