LPG heating advice please

[Time]

I have just moved to a house with LPG and have just received my first months LPG bill, very scary indeed!
Can anyone advise what is the most efficient way to control and heat the house. The system that is installed is a Ideal Classic FF250P, the radiators all have themostatic valves(* to 5) the boiler has a temperature control valve from 1 to 6, and their is a thermostat in the hall, what is the best way to heat this house, should I turn the radiators to full and the hall thermostat down with the boiler half way ? Sorry to be clue-less but the house before was a main gas mid terrace and the heating was always off there.
Also is it best to have the heating set low and on constantly or set to come on twice a day.
Many thanks for any advice, it is appreciated.

[gorga]

I would imagine that your system is fully pumped with a 3 port valve in tha cylinder cupboard controlled by a twin channel programmer , cylinder stat` and room thermostat.
If so, you can leave the boiler stat` at max because it is the two external stat`s which are doing the work. If your hot water is ok you may save a few £`s by turning the cylinder stat` down a degree or two. You could also set the room st`at a degree lower. You could set the hot water on time for say 1hr morning and 1hr evening and the heating to come on just prior to getting up and just prior to getting in from work.
If your existing controls don``t give you the option of the above which nowadays is a very basic system then you should contact a reputable engineer who could advise you on upgrades available that will save you money on your bills which you now realise are going to be high with LPG.
It`s an expensive fuel and you will need to have a thermostatically controlled heating system to keep those bills down.
ontap.

[Chris]

Programmable room thermostat -I would currently choose Honeywell CM67.

Also PROPER pipe insulation under floors & in lofts soon pays for itself. A htg engineer will be able to measure the pipe heat losses - 25% is common! Old blankets put over a HW cylinder keep extra heat in even if it's already insulated, assuming heat loss here isn't useful.

[thescruff]

Depending on the boiler,you could consider changing to oil, and keeping the gas for cooking.

You are talking bulk tank, and not bottles.

scruff

[stafford]

Most efficient way? Scrap that Ideal and get a decent condensing boiler - not the sub 1000 quid crap. It must have weather compensation. Replace all those radiators with oversized to run at lower surface temp. Your system should be designed to run in condensing mode over 95% of the time. That is what will lower your LPG bills.

Obvious energy saving, fill up the loft with insulation if you can! Cavity wall insulation if possible.

Finally, get a heating engineer, not your Joe plumber either. Saying that, most plumbers will not touch condensing anyway (flames not intended).

staffy

[bluetack]

LPG is about twice the price of oil or mains gas and more if you are using bottles.

If you are stuck with LPG switch to bulk storage. Which can normally be installed at the suppliers cost ( may need some stiff negotiation).

Next step would be to consider insulation. Loft insulation has best pay back. There are grants and reduced cost schemes around. Over 60 years grants from Councils and energy providers such as BG. Reduce cost jobs from npower. Any loft with less than 150mm thick insulation needs more. Best to go for 250mm.

Next job is to reduce air changes per hour in the main rooms. This means getting rid of draughts ( do not block any ventilation which is required for the heating)

For more info you will have to describe the age of heating system, type of house and construction. I hope this helps so far.

Alan Hatfield Heating Services
Corgi 193723
Unvented Cylinder Certificate
01480 891431
_________________
Alan Hatfield Heating Services
Corgi 193723
Unvented Cylinder Certificate
01480 891431

[Time]

Thanks for the advice everyone, more loft insulation is the next purchase. One thing you mentioned, "gorga", is to turn the boiler stat to full and the two external stats down, by "external stats" do you mean the one in the hallway and the one on the tank in the airing cupboard (cylinder stat) which is strapped to the hot water cylinder? this is set to 60. Also should I turn raoiators down in rooms I don't use, or is this false economy? Thanks again.