Remote Heating Controls - a few questions

[Smudger]

We were recently looking at BG's Hive control system, but put it on the back burner because they kept cancelling our initial visit to inspect our current setup/sell us stuff we don't need.

But I am interested in being able to control our heating via an app, but I have a few questions.

Our boiler is just about 18 months old, and has a wifi unit, but this controls the temperature only. The timing controls are an old fashioned timing dial on the boiler itself (click in/out for particular time to make boiler function at that time), so if we went for a fancy remote control thing, how would we get the Nest/Hive thermostat to pair with the boiler in order to be able to control it? Seeing as the timing control on the boiler is so basic, would it just be a case of setting all of the little pins to 'on' all the time, then let the thermostat control the switching by way of temperature triggers? Or would we need to get the control system for the boiler changed out?

[TheAnimus]

Yeah you would set it's own timer to on, and the "thermostat" would in reality be a "timer + thermostat".

I've the salus it500, been a mixed bag so far. When I first got it I was mortified to see it didn't use SSL.... They've fixed that now. Plus side is it was only £120, the install didn't take me long at all.

[Smudger]

I've looked a bit further into it, and it apparently you can get a 'Heat Link', which is wired into the boiler controls, but I'm not sure if you pay extra for it...

[peterb]

The UK version of the NEST comes with the heat link - basically the interface between the thermostat and the boiler. As far as the boiler is concerned it just looks like a conventional programmer.

If you have a modern boiler with a modulating burner (essentially the output is variable) the nest will control that, but I think you have to have professional installation to enable it. For standard use you can install it yourself.

lots of information on the nest website.

[snedger]

Before I moved, I had the Hive for a couple of years.
Used to get emails 3 or 4 times a week telling me that there were connectivity problems - absolute waste of time.

[peterb]

I haven't used Hive - I'm pretty pleased with nest. I didn't use its learning mode, just set a schedule. That might have been a mistake though as it detects when I'm away from home, but that doesn't override my manual scheduke so it turns the heating back on at the next scheduled time. Not a big deal as I can turn it off or put it in standby from the app.

[Smudger]

I haven't used Hive - I'm pretty pleased with nest. I didn't use its learning mode, just set a schedule. That might have been a mistake though as it detects when I'm away from home, but that doesn't override my manual scheduke so it turns the heating back on at the next scheduled time. Not a big deal as I can turn it off or put it in standby from the app.

That's the kind of functionality I'm looking for. I was quite amazed that what is a relatively new boiler (Ideal Combi+) had such an archaic control system. We can only set on/off by time on a rotary dial, then adjust the temp by a mobile thermostat. But is the convenience worth the £250 or so it would cost to get installed?

[Dashers]

You can get plenty of thermostats and timers that can be connected up to pretty much any boiler. I haven't got round to doing mine yet, but I am going to switch to one with a wireless thermostat so I can stick that in a room more reflecting of the house temperature instead of by the front door (smart move builders).

I have absolutely no desire to be able to tinker with my heating on my phone, I want it to look after itself. Based on temperature of the house and time of day.

[peterb]

I like that fact that I can set it to a low standby temperature when I'm away on holiday, and then turn it on remotely 24 hours or so before I get home. You can do that with some programmers, but usually a preset off time so if you are delayed or get back early, you can't adjust it.

[Moby-Dick]

I had a basic remote stat that talked to my Network Owl system , but switched to Nest at Christmas as it had better integration with other smarthome devices. I like the auto away functionality too

[StormZero]

We have the Honeywell EvoHome system and would highly recommend it. Major bonus of this is it’s got per room (radiator) control and scheduling so we don’t waste heating elsewhere in the house when it comes on. Major downside is depending on the size of your house it can get expensive pretty fast as you need a thermostat on each radiator you want to control. You don’t however need to replace all so if there were rooms you rarely need/want to adjust the heating you can leave the ‘normal’ radiator controls and it will work similar to hive for that room. It also means you can start with the essential rooms and build up gradually as cost allows.

Since putting it in about 18 months ago we have noticed a saving of approx. £150-175 per year. This will obviously depend on your usage in general but for us it’ll take another year or so to pay for itself. Cost wise though I do love a gadget and value the convenience of controlling each room from my phone and scheduling certain rooms to come on at certain times. During the winter for example, we have bedroom set to come on for an hour before our usual time for bed.