Help with thermostats?

A question about : Help with thermostats?

I have watched all the progs and found interesting. I wonder though if anyone can advise me about the heating system and also the fridge thermostats.
When they say turn down by 1 degree - how does this equate to radiator thermostats, hot water cylinder thermostat and what do the numbers inside the fridge relate to? I have never known this information and none of the instruction leaflets give you a comparison thing like you get with gas to electric ovens etc. By the way we have never had a wall thermostat since the heating was installed as the fitter said that the radiator things worked per room - which they do.
Advice gratefully received.

Best answers:

• Hi angela,
  I have moved your post over to the In My Home board, where hopefully you will get more replies.
  Pink
• Some installers do prefer the no room stat method on modern combi boiler installations and it does work fine until a valve fails... modern systems can be fitted with pumps which reduce output (pumps with 'integrated pressure differential control') as the radiator valves close, avoiding pressure rise in the system.
  Hmmm... I still prefer a system with a central room stat.
  Not sure about fridges/freezers, but on radiator thermostatic valves, 1 division is equivalent to 3 degrees C. Most cylinder stats are marked with the temperatures, in 5 or 10 degree steps.
• Thank you for replies so far. Will have to get a thermometer as suggested. You would think though that even if they have to use different systems for the items I have suggested, that they could at least give you the base temperature from which you can then work out the numbers? For example, as Paul H says that the cylinder stat goes in 5 or 10 degrees - is that from 0 degrees or from 20 or what?
  Sorry I am dense.
• All systems should have a room thermostat. If they do not, the boiler will 'cycle' all the time the central heating is on. Energy efficiency guidelines under Part L building regulation dictate the minimum control on central heating systems should be a programmer, room thermostat, cylinder thermostat (if not on a combi) and TRVs on all rads except the one closest to room stat. The system should have an automatic bypass, and larger systems should be 'zoned' with separate stats for different parts of the property.
  Your cylinder thermostat should be set to 60 degrees C. Any less than this will help proliferate limescale and bacteria.
• [QUOTE=
  Your cylinder thermostat should be set to 60 degrees C. Any less than this will help proliferate limescale and bacteria.[/QUOTE]
  Thank you for your interest and advice. Which number would be 60 degrees? We usually have the cylinder thermostat at 3 and the water is piping hot - is that right? We live in a hard water area by the way so limescale is a problem for us.
• What make is the stat? It will depend on the calibration, and a quick call to the manufacturer's technical department should tell you. It shouldn't be hot enough to make tea with, as this may cause cavitation and problems with certain thermostatic appliances. Get a thermometer and test the temperature you're getting at the tap if you can't get decent info on the stat.