How can I explain thermostats to my family?

[Billpy]

The upstairs rads in my house are controled by TRV's. The problem is no matter how many times I try to explain to my family how a thermostat works, they insist on whacking the valves up to Max every time the weather turns cold. So, today for example when it's a mild, sunny spring day (yesterday was freezing), I come home and the upstairs of the house is like a sauna, the windows are open because "it's too hot!" and I'm paying to heat the clouds.

I have tried; I've told them that the thermostat saves the bother of having to set the radiator each day, just tell it how hot you like it and LEAVE IT!

The problem seems to be that they really can't believe that the radiator won't heat up any faster by turning it up full.

I had the same problem at work, our secretary would whack all the TRV's to maximum at 8.30am and by 2pm (after she'd quit for the day) the office was boiling. (this was a local authority, so how much taxpayers money gets wasted all over the UK?)

Anyone know a simple way to explain thermostats to non-technical people?

 

[Diyisfun]

I know what you mean, they also when hot, turn it to off, then weather turns cold & no heat.

 

[JohnD]

look up the instructions for your TRV and see if they have the facility to fit pegs to limit their range.

Also give your family a flat rate payment of £x per month and require them to pay the gas bill themselves. They will soon become frugal.

 

[danplumb]

If it is your home and you are paying the heating bills, then get one fitted never mind what the family says they are not paying the heating bills !

 

[Agile]

Similar situation to those women usually who tell you to turn on the heater immediately they step into your car!

However many times you tell them the heated does not work until the enginer is hot which is after about five miles driving!

Tony

 

[Armo74]

TRV's are filled with wax or a liquid which expands as the room heats which pushes down the pin which closes the valve as the room temperature is achieved. And as the room temperature decreases the wax retracts allowing the pin to move opening the valve allowing the radiator to heat the room again.TRV's measure the air temperature in the room which they are fitted they have no connection to the boiler.Your room thermostat (if you have one) dictates when your boiler fires up.

 

[mogget]

The way I see it is that the thermostat is a labour saving device. It saves you having to work, because it does it for you.

That said, some people don't even seem to 'get' that windows open + heating on = expense! I know someone who spends money she doesn't have on eye-wateringly high gas and electricity bills, because the back door has to be open all day 'so that the cat can get in'. This is gas heating on, + an oil filled radiator as well, because 'it's too cold'.

I despair sometimes!

 

[Newboy]

Then having explained and explained and explained and explained .........

fit these!

http://www.danfoss.com/united_kingd...2bd/e56faf58-c5d2-4fd3-8208-7bf31f3a1494.html

 

[SimonH2]

For some reason, I think there is a genetic reason that makes some people physically incapable of understanding them. At my last job I had responsibility for heating and cooling in the offices - when we fitted the AC I fitted electronic controls without local panels so there was no scope for fiddling.


Reminds me of an old joke about an Irishman working in Liverpool. One day he finds an old brass lamp, rubs it, and a genie pops out. The genie offers him one wish (times are hard !) and the Irishman says he'd like a bridge so he can get in his car on Friday night and drive back home to the emerald isle for a few drinks with his mates.
The genie responds to the effect of "don't you realise how deep the water is, and how much concrete that would need - can't you think of something a bit easier ?"

In the original version, the Irishman then asks to be told how to understand women - how to know what's really wrong when they say "nothing", and so on. For this thread, the question could be how to explain thermostats to them !

The genie thinks for a moment and replies "would that be 2 or 3 lanes on the bridge ?"

 

[mfarrow]

As JohnD has hinted, just get TRVs with pins you can move around to limit the range.

I have Drayton TRV4s with pins limited on setting 4 or 3 depending on the room type. It's not in the instruction IIRC but is fairly obvious if you look underneath.

 

[mogget]

In the original version, the Irishman then asks to be told how to understand women - how to know what's really wrong when they say "nothing", and so on. For this thread, the question could be how to explain thermostats to them !

Go careful, some of us do understand thermostats

 

[garethgas]

I tell customers that if you cook a chicken at gas mark 4 in summer, do you cook it at gas mark 7 in winter?
That usually get's the message over

 

[Billpy]

Gareth, the chicken cooking analogy is great, I'll try that. (or adapt it to the toaster setting: something the teenagers can relate to)

I'll look into the limiting peg idea, I could set a maximum of 4. If they turn the valve down on a warm day and freeze the next day who cares? I'd be saving money!