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Original poster

Replacing heating control unit

14 replies

wohmum · 19/03/2017 20:36

We've recently moved into a new house (new to us) and it hasa v old heating/ hot water control unit which has the same timer fir heating/ hot water.

Anyone know how easy it is to get this replaced with a modern one? Or even a high tech one that you can control with your phone? The boiler is about 3-4 years old but the controller must be at least 20!

OP posts:

Villagernumber9 · 19/03/2017 21:02

Don't know if it's just me being paranoid but, I don't like the idea of controlling your home from your phone.
The gas company will know where you are when you're switching your boiler on and can sell your details on.
Next, you will be getting adverts from a shop you just walked past with their latest offers.

gobbelinothewitchescat · 19/03/2017 21:10

Hi - I did mine recently and it was pretty straight forward. I've got a nest and it's fantastic. It picks up the location of my phone and makes sure the house is toasty when I get in, and I can set up the schedule online too. If you have a hot water tank it also controls the hot water now. It was really easy to replace, my electrician charged me £70 to swap it over.

Oh, and the app doesn't link in to the gas supplier - it's completely separate. So I don't see how it can be supplying any other detail than when your property uses the gas, which in fairness they can tell from any thermostat surely?

PigletJohn · 19/03/2017 22:31

very easy.

I am not yet convinced of the advantage of turning the heating on and off with a smartphone

Original poster

wohmum · 19/03/2017 23:59

Thanks all, I'm not sure if I need to control it from my phone , but that flipping jingle is stuck in my head! Would the thermostat need to be replaced too or just the unit?

OP posts:

Villagernumber9 · 20/03/2017 00:12

If your thermostat is old, it probably stopped working years ago or might not even be connected anymore.

arsenalwatford · 20/03/2017 00:14

Easy to do, thermostat would be replaced as well (in case internet went down so you can still control it).
Why on earth would anyone get benefit from knowing when you've put your heating on??? honestly that's worth nothing. Plus companies can't sell your data anyway without permission, it's illegal. I had Nest and didn't get on with it, it kept deciding to turn the heating on at night. Have Hive now, much better and use their motion sensor things for security as well.

PigletJohn · 20/03/2017 00:32

speaking as a teenage hacker, I find it funny to turn people's heating up or down. Speaking as a burglar I like to be able to track the patterns of when people are at home or away, and to see when they're on holiday.

p.s.
I am not a hacker or a burglar.

FreeTibet · 20/03/2017 09:13

Easy to do and costs a few hundreds. We've got it and I can't imagine being without it now. We were overseas over xmas and kept an eye on the temperature of the house. We switched everything on before we got home to a nice warm house.

Villagernumber9 · 20/03/2017 10:22

Like I said. I don't know if I'm just being paranoid but.....
We all have opinions, and we are allowed to share our opinions, as long as it doesn't offend anyone.

Original poster

wohmum · 20/03/2017 13:35

I think that's a major concern pigletjohn , although it's great to have the flexibility and ease of doing by all of this remotely there are very definite risk scenarios if you look at it from that point of view. .

The systems might seem secure now, but that's an awful lot of data for someone to use against you if they get hold of it

OP posts:

PigletJohn · 20/03/2017 13:49

I took a fancy to Programmable Thermostats, which do everything I want or need, and are pretty easy to use once your regular routine is in it.

Original poster

wohmum · 20/03/2017 13:51

Can you recommend one?

OP posts:

PigletJohn · 20/03/2017 14:01

Honeywell lead the market.

I have CM907, now on offer as there is a new version out

You can get wireless ones if you don't mind them going wrong.

Daisymay2 · 20/03/2017 18:13

We have a Honeywell controller roughly the same vintage as yours OP, I had a look on the Honeywell website when it was playing up to see what else was available. Yes there is an updated version of ours but also loads more sophisticated numbers. Also they appear to have local heating specialists who will come in and tell you what your options are- you might be able to have upstairs and down stairs controlled separately ( as new systems do).

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