Turning off unused radiators as a way of saving energy this winter could have the opposite effect, according to heating and boiler experts. Depending on your type of boiler, cutting off the heat in empty rooms could actually hike up energy bills in the long run.
Heatable founder, Ben Price, explained to the Daily Express : “Turning off your heating in unused rooms by turning the radiator’s thermostatic radiator valve to zero or off can save you energy, but it could also cost you more money because ultimately they’re always directly related. However, the caveat to this is that it depends on the age of your current boiler.
"If your boiler is an old G-rated and non-condensing boiler (typically sold before 2005), you will likely save money by turning off unused radiators. However, if you have a modern condensing boiler, they operate more efficiently at lower flow temperatures.”
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He added that, with a condensing boiler, instead of heat being "wasted and sent out by your flue pipe", it is "recycled back into your central heating system". So, you would actually be conserving energy by reducing the flow temperature rather than shutting it off altogether.
Mr Price explained the two ways this can be done - using a modulating thermostat and increasing the radiator surface area. Unused radiators or radiators in empty rooms should be left open or on or your boiler will have to "work harder and burn more energy to reach the desired temperature of the radiators you have left on.
“This is all due to the fact that while the radiators are less hot, they are still able to heat your home to the desired temperature. So, the thing to remember is if you are not using radiators in unused rooms, you still want to leave them on in order to allow water to continue to flow through them or the other radiators, and ultimately your boiler, will have to work harder.”
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