Creating a second heating zone?

[Mark300zx]

I am trying to improve my EPC rating, and the assessor said I would get a C rating by adding another heating zone with a separate control and thermostat. Google gives various responses, and I am wondering what the PH experts reckon.

Go to the pub as we are all doomed anyway??

[Rob.]

Assuming it's radiators, have you looked at individual control of the TRVs? Honeywell Evohome, Drayton Wiser etc

[Arnold Cunningham]

Even better, smart TRVs. I can heat room by room,
It works really well

[Snow and Rocks]

Firstly why are you trying to improve your rating? To save on your heating bill or to make your house easier to sell or something?

Creating a second zone is only likely to pay off if you use and heat the two zones in a way that allows for savings. A friend spent a lot of money on a "smart" system with room by room thermostats and motorised TRVs on each radiator and despite endless hours tweaking, it doesn't seem to save any money at all!

[Mark300zx]

Are you guys saying get TRVs would qualify as a separate zone and thermostat, for the EPC?

Edited by Mark300zx on Saturday 11th January 16:18

[Arnold Cunningham]

I dunno how EPC works, but I do know I can heat the individual room I am working in and leave the rest of the house unheated. Do it frequently if I'm WFH and the Mrs is out.

[BoRED S2upid]

Snow and Rocks said:

Firstly why are you trying to improve your rating? To save on your heating bill or to make your house easier to sell or something?

Creating a second zone is only likely to pay off if you use and heat the two zones in a way that allows for savings. A friend spent a lot of money on a "smart" system with room by room thermostats and motorised TRVs on each radiator and despite endless hours tweaking, it doesn't seem to save any money at all!

It doesn’t have to save any money it’s just so the womble can tick a box and award a C.

[Turtle Shed]

We've got two heating zones in a system dating from around 1992. I can see why it was done this way (long bungalow with an end where the previous occupiers spent daytime, and then the other end with four bedroom and an ensuite) but I can't imagine anyone would do this nowadays when smart TRVs and controllers are a thing.

Having said that, we have just normal valves on the rads and it does all work pretty well.

[OutInTheShed]

I can see some attraction of a second zone over needing 23 smart TRVs, each of which needs batteries.

The smart approach will be a lot easier to retrofit in most cases though.

[miniman]

Arnold Cunningham said:

I dunno how EPC works, but I do know I can heat the individual room I am working in and leave the rest of the house unheated. Do it frequently if I'm WFH and the Mrs is out.

Presumably there’s one rad that has no TRV (ie comes on when any other part of the system is running)?

[Arnold Cunningham]

miniman said:

Presumably there’s one rad that has no TRV (ie comes on when any other part of the system is running)?

No. I have a bypass valve. Generally, the boiler only comes on "on demand" when demanded by a rad, but there's a bypass valve so even if all rads close and the boiler came on, there is still flow through the circuit.

[Cristio Nasser]

Arnold Cunningham said:

miniman said:

Presumably there’s one rad that has no TRV (ie comes on when any other part of the system is running)?

No. I have a bypass valve. Generally, the boiler only comes on "on demand" when demanded by a rad, but there's a bypass valve so even if all rads close and the boiler came on, there is still flow through the circuit.

How efficient is that though? What are the return temps? Still below the condensing threshold?