Protecting Radiator and Piping from freezing in conservatory

[Ronnee]

Hi all,

I wondered if anyone can help me. I recently bought a house which has a radiator in the conservatory. It's an old style conservatory so the temperature drops quickly. I have sectioned off the kitchen (as doors were removed) using a heavy curtain. The kitchen now retains heat sufficiently. However I would like to avoid having to have the radiator in the conservatory on too much and waste gas.

I have had an idea to insulate the radiator in winter using layers of dust sheets and pipe insulation for the bits of pipe that protrude up through the floor. I plan on leaving the rad on frost protection so it will keep the system warm when the heating comes on. My heating is set to stay above 16 degrees as a minimum so it would be on regularly through the night.

Can anyone recommend what I propose, see any major drawbacks with it or have any alternative solution please.

Thanks in advance.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Knock it down and build an extension.

Andy

 

[HERTS P&D]

Or just turn the rad off.

Andy

 

[Ronnee]

Could knock house down and build a new one with better insulation and a wind farm. I should have said I am not in a position to replace the roof or build an extension etc.

 

[Ronnee]

Or just turn the rad off.

Andy

I am concerned that the temp will drop to negative and crack the pipes or radiator.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Just leave the rad on frost protection then, I think you have answered your own question.

Andy

 

[Londoner2]

Fit a trv and turn it to a low setting.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Fit a trv and turn it to a low setting.

They have one fitted already.

Andy

 

[Ronnee]

They have one fitted already.

Andy

Yea it's more of a question of whether it would be better to insulate the rad to keep the heat in the system, rather than sending heat into the conservatory to be lost through the roof etc

 

[Londoner2]

Yea it's more of a question of whether it would be better to insulate the rad to keep the heat in the system, rather than sending heat into the conservatory to be lost through the roof etc

A low (frost position) setting on the trv would hardly send any heat through it.

 

[Ronnee]

A low (frost position) setting on the trv would hardly send any heat through it.

Oh ok thanks I'll stick it on that.

 

[stem]

In practice you will probably find it very rarely drops to freezing in there if the kitchen is heated.

I have a conservatory on the back of my house which is sealed off from it by double glazed doors, and the exterior walls of the house (on the back and one side of it) are an insulated cavity. It only has electric heating so we don't need to leave it on for frost protection. Even so, the lowest temperature I have ever seen the thermostat reading in there is 7 degrees and at the time, the heating hadn't been used, or the doors to the house opened for over a week, and it was -4 outside. And in your case the insulation (curtain) between the house and conservatory will allow more heat to pass.

Frost protection doesn't normally cut in until the temperature where the sensor (TRV) is located drops to 5 degrees anyway, so you probably won't notice it on much.

 

[Ronnee]

In practice you will probably find it very rarely drops to freezing in there if the kitchen is heated.

I have a conservatory on the back of my house which is sealed off from it by double glazed doors, and the exterior walls of the house (on the back and one side of it) are an insulated cavity. It only has electric heating so we don't need to leave it on for frost protection. Even so, the lowest temperature I have ever seen the thermostat reading in there is 7 degrees and at the time, the heating hadn't been used, or the doors to the house opened for over a week, and it was -4 outside. And in your case the insulation (curtain) between the house and conservatory will allow more heat to pass.

Frost protection doesn't normally cut in until the temperature where the sensor (TRV) is located drops to 5 degrees anyway, so you probably won't notice it on much.

Thanks for a sensible helpful answer.

 

[baldykev]

Or add this to your system https://www.sentinelprotects.com/uk/products/x500-inhibited-antifreeze

 

[JP_]

One problem you might get is mould - moisture from kitchen will get past those curtains and the conservatory and curtains will probably develop mould.
Maybe put in some good doors that are insulated all around, or for better security (old conservatories are easy to break into) put back the proper external doors.