ᐅ Gas valve and handbrake of the heating system: Is this explanation correct?
Created on: 22 Nov 2020 15:05
V
vaderle
Hello everyone,
I have been living in my new house for four months.
Our house (16cm (6 inches) aerated concrete precast walls + insulation) has underfloor heating on both the ground and first floors, as well as a heating system (air-to-water heat pump) from Vaillant.
In every room, I have individual temperature controllers, and at the location of the heating system (utility room), there is a separate control panel from Vaillant where I can set the general desired temperature as well as time-limited temperature adjustments (for example, lowering the desired temperature by 4°C (7°F) at night).
At first, I set the temperature in many rooms to around 21°C (70°F), 19°C (66°F) in the bedroom, and 22°C (72°F) in the bathroom. The central control panel was set to a desired temperature of 23°C (73°F).
Since it was almost always warmer in the rooms than the temperature set on the controllers due to good insulation and outside temperatures, heating was almost never activated. Only in the utility room did it seem like continuous heating took place during the day. As a result, the temperature there was around 24-25°C (75-77°F). This was clearly too warm for me because food is also stored there. Both the separate room controller (set to 18°C (64°F)) and the central control panel (with the central desired temperature of 23°C (73°F)) in the utility room were set lower. I therefore spoke with the heating engineer.
He explained the following:
The central control panel is like the gas pedal of a car, and the individual room controllers are like handbrakes.
So I was always “driving with the handbrake on” (individual room controller set lower than the central control panel in the utility room). This caused the warm water in the underfloor heating system to accumulate in the utility room.
He advised me to set all the room controllers to a higher temperature (for example, 25°C (77°F))—in other words, release the handbrake—and then slowly lower the central desired temperature setting (the gas) until the desired effect is achieved. This way, the air-to-water heat pump would run continuously because the actual temperatures in the rooms would never match the set values, and the utility room would no longer experience this accumulated heat. He also said that in a house with insulation and an air-to-water heat pump, it is good for the system to run continuously.
Is this explanation using the gas pedal and handbrake analogy correct?
I have been living in my new house for four months.
Our house (16cm (6 inches) aerated concrete precast walls + insulation) has underfloor heating on both the ground and first floors, as well as a heating system (air-to-water heat pump) from Vaillant.
In every room, I have individual temperature controllers, and at the location of the heating system (utility room), there is a separate control panel from Vaillant where I can set the general desired temperature as well as time-limited temperature adjustments (for example, lowering the desired temperature by 4°C (7°F) at night).
At first, I set the temperature in many rooms to around 21°C (70°F), 19°C (66°F) in the bedroom, and 22°C (72°F) in the bathroom. The central control panel was set to a desired temperature of 23°C (73°F).
Since it was almost always warmer in the rooms than the temperature set on the controllers due to good insulation and outside temperatures, heating was almost never activated. Only in the utility room did it seem like continuous heating took place during the day. As a result, the temperature there was around 24-25°C (75-77°F). This was clearly too warm for me because food is also stored there. Both the separate room controller (set to 18°C (64°F)) and the central control panel (with the central desired temperature of 23°C (73°F)) in the utility room were set lower. I therefore spoke with the heating engineer.
He explained the following:
The central control panel is like the gas pedal of a car, and the individual room controllers are like handbrakes.
So I was always “driving with the handbrake on” (individual room controller set lower than the central control panel in the utility room). This caused the warm water in the underfloor heating system to accumulate in the utility room.
He advised me to set all the room controllers to a higher temperature (for example, 25°C (77°F))—in other words, release the handbrake—and then slowly lower the central desired temperature setting (the gas) until the desired effect is achieved. This way, the air-to-water heat pump would run continuously because the actual temperatures in the rooms would never match the set values, and the utility room would no longer experience this accumulated heat. He also said that in a house with insulation and an air-to-water heat pump, it is good for the system to run continuously.
Is this explanation using the gas pedal and handbrake analogy correct?
A
Alessandro26 Nov 2020 10:39I will continue to gather information today :p
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Alessandro26 Nov 2020 12:53There should be a beginner’s guide that explains different options and their effects. Or FAQs...
T
T_im_Norden26 Nov 2020 14:17Actually, it's quite simple as long as the heating engineer hasn't messed up the hydraulics.
- Keep the supply temperature as low as possible
- Make the operating time as long as possible
- Balance the flow rate only with the radiator valves
- Adjust the temperature using the heating curve
After that, ideally, you never need to touch the heating system again
- Keep the supply temperature as low as possible
- Make the operating time as long as possible
- Balance the flow rate only with the radiator valves
- Adjust the temperature using the heating curve
After that, ideally, you never need to touch the heating system again
A
Alessandro26 Nov 2020 14:27This is again too easy...