Heating Zone for Every Room?

[Boatist]

Hello all.

We are currently building an extension on our house and will have a 4 bedroom house when it's all done. We've never had central heating, so as part of the project we're putting a brand new heating system in the whole house. We want to do as much of the work ourselves as we can, but could really use some advice...

I have attached a drawing of what I've dreamt up and would really appreciate some comments. We had this (maybe mad) idea of having 8 heating zones in the house, with programmable room stats in most rooms, and some smaller radiators on TRV's. Different parts of the house get used through the morning, day and evening so multiple zones would work well for us. I've done bits of plumbing before and electrics are easy for me, but there's a ton I don't know here!

Will the pump in a combi boiler cope with this system? Can I really do that with the return pipework!? Will the extra pipe losses make the whole thing pointless? :crazy:

Thanks so much for your help!

I hope this attachment works...
View attachment central-heating.pdf

 

[Gray0689]

Can't see your drawing
But yes you can put in zones for every room
But just putt it on a manifold with actuators far easier and more efficient

 

[Mike Jackson]

Have a look at the Honeywell Evo Home system.

http://www.evohome.info/evohome_application_manual_en.pdf

 

[Reg Man]

Sounds a little OTT, Loads of expensive materials and complicated for small gain. Have a look at zoning each floor with TRV's on each radiator. I am not saying it won't work, just look at the gains against the work involved and operation for the user, with all those programmable room stats.

 

[Gray0689]

Not ott
All property's should be individually zoned these days

 

[tamz]

A bit overly complicated for what you need but whatever floats your boat.
Honeywell HR20's (programmable valve heads) would do the same job cheaper and easier

 

[Reg Man]

Not ott
All property's should be individually zoned these days

Not arguing with you. Just read my quote more carefully. Tamz has an even better solution.

 

[AWheating]

try to avoid the common return. id def look at a manifold or the honeywell system tbh.

 

[Boatist]

Thanks for the comments! I hadn't heard of the HR20's. If they work well then that would be a huge saving on the system. It looks like there's no way to tell the boiler when to fire if there's simply one HR20 on every radiator though. And the smaller radiators (en-suite etc) will need valves also. I'll spend some time delving deeper into that honeywell brochure!

The common return looked questionable to me too... Anything to save pipe.

 

[tamz]

Read the Honeywell link Mike posted. That will tell you how to control it and what additional parts you need.

If you commoned your return on the way you have drawn the system your rads will back heat.

 

[zutman]

Hope your stayin in the property for a few years would any one like to work out the payback time, i had a guy last week wanting to change his open vented system working great to an unvented with each room zoned, OMG he was planning in selling in 5 years he would never get his dosh back or would the buyers pay more because each room was zoned ? worth thinking about, same goes for solar pannels, one other point with regards to zoning you tend to get cold rooms and warm rooms i still believe in keeping the fabrication of the house warm during the winter months boiler then just ticks along. what do you guys think

 

[Boatist]

Thanks Tamz, that's good to know... haha yes we'll be here for a while yet. Not expecting it to pay back really, just be as efficient as it can while still being comfortable to live in.

I'm having trouble finding radiator manifold systems. I've seen the "speedfit energy saver plus", but I guess you need to contact them direct to design it for you? Obviously simple manifolds are easy to find, but something with actuators that's for Rads and not UFH?

 

[tamz]

but something with actuators that's for Rads and not UFH?

Does the same job

 

[lame plumber]

instead of wasting money on 8 zones? why not put in solar panels and a thermal store to be a bit greener and then you might gain something that you will appreciate in the long term. A warm house for lots of money saved, get some expert advice in and youll benefit in the long term.

 

[zutman]

I agree if its the green way you want then dito the above

 

[TBServices]

Why would you run solar into thermal store? Seems like a waste of effort considering the high temps they need to operate.

 

[Boatist]

Not much solar activity here in Yorkshire 🙁 that's why we're so miserable... Good point about thinking of a better way to spend all that money though.

 

[vern]

8 x Baxi Brazilla's and a main multi point would be truly independent :13:

 

[TBServices]

8 x Baxi Brazilla's and a main multi point would be truly independent :13:

Sounds the best solution to me lol

 

[Boatist]

lol. That's almost exactly what we've got now Vern. I should just leave it alone right?

 

[lame plumber]

Why would you run solar into thermal store? Seems like a waste of effort considering the high temps they need to operate.

to warm the water in the thermal store would be the main reason? from my experience it works very well

 

[vern]

lol. That's almost exactly what we've got now Vern. I should just leave it alone right?

Lol I do a lot of this stuff.......

scrap the combi.....you need a system boiler with an unvented cylinder, assuming house not bungalow, 3 zones being downstairs, upstairs, hot water, TRV's on all rads except where programmable stats etc add 4 th zone for UFH manifold if required.....
remember a combi cannot produce ANY heat to any zones whilst hot water is being drawn off....think off all the baths, showers, sinks and occupants too, also that many combi's have an anti cycle delay so won't return to heating straight away after a sentinel point has been used!

 

[TBServices]

Honestly, if you're starting from scratch, go with a system boiler, unvented cylinder (twin coil to add solar later if desired), heating installed on a manifold. Possibly have underfloor heating downstairs if your house is sufficiently insulated.

 

[TBServices]

Lol vern, beat me to it.

 

[vern]

Lol vern, beat me to it.

Because we are also miserable Yorkshire men lol