Program heating settings for nighttime

Hello,

we have a somewhat complex problem and are currently unsure what to do. Experiences are gladly welcome.

Our house is 23 years old, Buderus boiler and control system, the burner was just renewed. In our living room, there was such a "thermostat," which was already broken when we took over the house. We naïve people had been brushed off with the sales advisor’s statement that it was not needed and assumed that the heating could also be controlled directly at the device downstairs.

We suspect that something was set here 23 years ago, after which no one cared about this thermostat, and at some point it just broke. The water could be a bit cooler and our bathroom radiator never gets really warm despite unblocking and venting. Otherwise, it is all okay for us. When my husband comes into the living room around 7 a.m., it is still rather cool but absolutely fine, and when I come home in the afternoon, everything is warm here. So far, so good.

Now we have rented out our granny flat to a young woman for 8 weeks. There is only one heating circuit. For professional reasons, she gets up at 4:30 a.m. This was not a problem until now, but since last weekend it seems that the apartment is ice cold when she gets up in the morning. According to her, it was different before and the heating then ran in the morning. Not anymore now. She is cold and wants it to be different, which I can understand at first.

Today, a technician came. The problem is: this control device is broken. The heating is set to something, the sensor is located outside on the north side, what exactly was set is no longer readable or adjustable.

The young woman now wants the heating to be set so that it is warm by 4:30 a.m.

Due to the fact that we only have one circuit, we cannot decouple the facilities for the granny flat from the main house. This means that we would also have to set it so that the radiators have started running by 4:30 a.m. This does not make sense for us—no one gets up here before 6:30 a.m., the children rather an hour later, and maybe we are also not so sensitive to the cold.

But in order to do this at all, a new controller is needed. These parts from 25 years ago can no longer be bought today—they are available refurbished in various online shops for 300 euros, but whether we could still set that ourselves, hmm.

The alternative would be a completely new heating control system, which would cost around 1500 euros, a binding offer will come. That will certainly be even more expensive :)

For us, everything is basically okay and that is really a lot of money. On the other hand, it might not be so sensible if there is no way to adjust the heating at all and sooner or later one would probably have to invest in this anyway?

Hello Mizit,

did the technician only fiddle with your controller in the living room or did he also take a look at the boiler control? Normally, he should be able to adjust everything on the boiler.

Your heating boiler is already a respectable age at 23 years... whether it is worth having a new control installed is something you should think about carefully.

Sooner or later you will need a new boiler rather than a new control.

Best regards

I would simply buy a modern suitable controller and then connect it to the boiler. Even 23 years ago, the control signals were no different than today, you just have to find the right one.

Maybe you don't need the room control at all and you can control it directly at the boiler. If in doubt, I would have a qualified technician take another look at it. Until recently, we also had an old, modified system, yet it could still be controlled (within the limits of the possibilities).

However, before you invest a lot of money in a control system, also remember that after 30 years you are obliged to replace the heating system. It might make sense to consider a completely new system right away. Especially if there are old pumps inside, it might already pay off within 7 years.

: Before you let the controller regulate:

During the heating period, usually from October 1 to April 30, the landlord must set the central heating system so that a minimum temperature in the apartment between 20 and 22 degrees Celsius can be reached, the German Tenants’ Association (DMB) reported. However, the landlord does not have to guarantee these minimum temperatures "around the clock." At night, that is between 11:00 p.m. or midnight and 6:00 a.m., after the night setback, 18 degrees Celsius is also sufficient.

And by reaching it one does not mean when all windows are wide open...

So I can understand the tenant, I wouldn't want to live in an apartment either where it's freezing cold in the morning when I want to get ready in the bathroom...

These regulations from 6:00 in the morning etc. are really totally outdated, especially with regard to early shifts or night shifts....

Not everyone has a 9 to 5 job nowadays anymore!

I don't think it's fair to just say to the good lady: tough luck, I myself don't get up until 6:30....