How to save money if you have central heating in your apartment and cannot switch to “individual heating”?

What to do if bills are high in winter and there is not enough heat? How to save money if you have central heating in your apartment? In fact, this can be done by installing PLUM climate control in an apartment with conventional heating. There are other, less expensive options. Today we will devote the publication to a practical solution and how to install PLUM climate control in an apartment. This will require three components:

• metering equipment for monitoring supplied heat;
• devices for heating control;
• climate control.

The proposed solution will concern specifically radiator heating supplied from the central network.

How to equalize the temperature in radiators

Metering equipment - what quality and how much heat is supplied to the apartment

First of all, to save money you will need an apartment heat meter. After installation by a specialized organization with a license and sealing, it is registered in the State Register of Measuring Equipment (it will have the corresponding number of the State Standard of Ukraine). It will allow you to pay for the services actually provided, that is, for the heat actually consumed. To consume less but live in comfort, you need to install energy-efficient windows, insulate walls, and entrance doors. Keep in mind that lowering the temperature by 1%, regardless of the reasons, saves or increases thermal energy consumption by 5-6%.

The number of apartment heat meters that will be needed in your premises depends on the type of heating network wiring. With horizontal installation, the meter is installed on a riser; with vertical installation, two meters will be required, the data of which will be summed up. Also in the second case, an individual project for re-equipping the apartment central heating network will be required. The procedure is very complicated. Typically, horizontal wiring is used, since the installation of apartment-by-apartment heat meters is provided for by the project.

The costs of even purchasing heat meters that do not require an individual design will help reduce heat energy in new houses to 40%, and in old houses - to 70% (taking into account the insulation of the apartment). The meter can be installed on a house, porch and PLUM climate control, while installation costs will be minimal, and savings taking into account comfortable temperature control will reach 40-70%. On average, 40% saves heat meter, and another 20-30% weather regulator.

Heat meters can be installed on radiators, but this can be avoided by using adjustable thermostats, as shown in the illustration.

 

However, the easiest way to install a heat meter in an apartment is to use smart thermostatic valves with temperature sensors, controlled via a WI-FI network with Internet access from a mobile phone.

Devices for climate control if central heating is installed in the apartment

It is represented by a set of devices controlled by the user. These are room temperature sensors, thermostats and touch panels; thermostats can be installed on batteries and regulate the heating intensity. You will also need a weather regulator PLUM EcoMax360 or EcoMax860P, which will control the heat supply, that is, limit it.

PLUM weather regulators will be required if:

• you have a large apartment and you want to control heating scenarios;
• you want to install touch panels in rooms;
• you have an individual heating project with different circuits;
• you want to connect a backup boiler and additional hot water supply;
• a heated floor circuit from a separate boiler is used.

 

 

Some heat meters have this feature built-in and work in combination with a temperature sensor. The cost of such devices depends on functionality. The best option is the simplest regulation, when the system supplies heat to a certain mark on the thermometer (sensor). Apartment owners must maintain the room temperature at least 12 degrees Celsius in winter.

 

 

PLUM automation for climate control with central heating in the apartment

The illustration shows a diagram of a typical underfloor heating system based on PLUM automation. We suggest installing it when using a backup heating system.

	Expansion module for connecting additional heating circuits, for example, heated floors.
	Internet system FOCUS EcoNet, operating in two modes, service and remote monitoring of the boiler operation, is adapted to the operation of FOCUS boilers.
	Automation for climate control systems temperatures with central heating.
	Climate control of floor heating temperature.
	Room touch panel for heated floors.
	Multifunctional room thermostat (wired).
	Wireless touch thermostat.
	Heated floor actuator.
	Room temperature sensor.
	Wi-Fi module for connecting remote control and the Internet.