HouseHeat system

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  • Jasper Warwick
    Automated Home Lurker
    • Nov 2008
    • 5

    HouseHeat system

    Has anyone had experience of the HouseHeat system from www.heating-intelligence.co.uk? I have been looking for something to control temperature more efficeintly in our 4 story house. I have been considering the CM zone system but it looks very expensive, this system is much cheaper and appears to do the job but it would be good to get some feedback if anyone else has actually used it. I am guessing that as more players enter the market so the price will be driven down.

    Jasper.
  • toscal
    Moderator
    • Oct 2005
    • 2061

    #2
    Dear Santa I want some please. I think I have been good.

    They look interesting. If its as good as they say then certainly an alternative to the Hometronic system. And if you could get RFXCOM to control them then even better.
    May have to have a play with some.
    IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
    Renovation Spain Blog

    Comment

    • MichaelD
      Automated Home Guru
      • Mar 2006
      • 167

      #3
      The link doesn't seem to be working now

      Comment

      • Jasper Warwick
        Automated Home Lurker
        • Nov 2008
        • 5

        #4
        Originally posted by MichaelD View Post
        The link doesn't seem to be working now
        It worked for my just a moment ago, it may have been a temporary outage.

        Comment

        • MichaelD
          Automated Home Guru
          • Mar 2006
          • 167

          #5
          I'm just getting a page from a hosting company. Always worries me when a company can't maintain a simple website, although ... the Honeywell CM zone website was out of action for several weeks.

          Comment

          • toscal
            Moderator
            • Oct 2005
            • 2061

            #6
            It may not be the company's fault. It could be the hosting company having problems.
            Last edited by toscal; 20 November 2008, 01:42 PM.
            IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
            Renovation Spain Blog

            Comment

            • MichaelD
              Automated Home Guru
              • Mar 2006
              • 167

              #7
              Got there now, and it does look pretty good.

              The downside of the Honeywell CM-Zone system is that PC control is ludicrously expensive, so its pretty much out of reach of most people, so there is a hugh gap in the market that this might just fill. We need someone to step in there and do a review!

              Comment

              • IanJ
                Automated Home Lurker
                • Oct 2008
                • 6

                #8
                Hi Jasper, Michael and toscal,

                I recently took the plunge and bought the HouseHeat system from HouseTech UK (www.house-intelligence.co.uk). So far, I'm very impressed. I bought the basic system i.e. Wireless Zone Thermostats and Wireless Valve Motors, so can't comment on the centralised PC control nor the remote control via the internet (WebConnect). It is a German-engineered system which I understand has been available on the German and Scandinavian markets for some time. I have found it easy to install and set up, and also very easy to use.

                Once I had installed the valve motor on the first radiator, I was able to install them on subsequent rads in a couple of minutes per rad, and I had the whole system up and running in less than an hour, with no need to call out a plumber, nor was it necessary to drain down the heating system. I liked the fact that as the system is fully wireless, there was no need for any wiring or new plumbing, so the installation was very clean with no mess (kept the wife happy! :-)

                Like you, I also had a good look at the Honeywell CM Zone and Hometronic systems, but came to the conclusion that the Honeywell system was very expensive and that the HouseHeat system delivered the same or similar functionality at a much lower price. One of the reasons I have installed this system is to make my heating system more efficient and save on heating bills - spending a lot of money to save money seems self-defeating! The significantly lower price of the HouseHeat system was a compelling argument to choose it, and I haven't been disappointed.

                Other points I liked about the HouseHeat system over the Honeywell CM Zone system was that the temperature is sensed wherever you place the room/zone thermostat, whereas I believe the Honeywell CM Zone system measures the temperature next to the radiator (at the HR80 TRV head - correct me if I'm wrong!) and will therefore be more susceptible to temperature-sensing errors.

                People I spoke to made a big deal out of the Honeywell boiler interlock functionality, but there is an optional boiler-control product in the HouseHeat product range ('SmartBoiler') which offers similar functionality and offers additional efficiency over and above the basic system if required. I didn't buy this, as I thought I'd see first how I liked the basic system, but may add that later.

                Please let me know if there's anything particular you'd like to know, and I'll answer if I can.

                ATB

                Ian

                Comment

                • IanJ
                  Automated Home Lurker
                  • Oct 2008
                  • 6

                  #9
                  One thing I forgot to mention: the system is fully modular, so you can test it out in one room first (only £69 for a room with one radiator!), and then if you like the system, easily expand it from there as required - which is what I did once I'd established that I liked the product.

                  Comment

                  • marcus
                    Automated Home Lurker
                    • Dec 2008
                    • 3

                    #10
                    Very interested in these.

                    Looks a good alternative to honeywell CM Zone.

                    A google for similar part numbers find these links:





                    Looks like it can do a lot more than just radiators

                    I might buy a PC starter kit UK prices look OK.

                    Mark

                    Comment

                    • MichaelD
                      Automated Home Guru
                      • Mar 2006
                      • 167

                      #11
                      Ian, does each radiator require its own wall thermostat? And if so, does that drive the price up?

                      With CM Zone it is possible to use the remote thermostat built into each room controller, but you'd need to have the thermostat in the room being controlled, which sounds obvious, but mine aren't, they are in the hall or on the landing, each controlling two nearby rooms.

                      Still, it looks like good stuff. I'm particularly interested in the ability to use the web server interface to allow HomeSeer to control the temperature in each room. The Web Connect product seems to be £647, see http://www.house-intelligence.co.uk/...at_webconnect/ but that includes a mini PC, and, presumably, some hardware to interface with the other units. If you just buy software, then can the interface be bought separately?

                      Comment

                      • MichaelD
                        Automated Home Guru
                        • Mar 2006
                        • 167

                        #12
                        Just had another look at the website, and answered my own questions, to get equivalent of the CM-Zone system that I have would cost around £650, CM-Zone was around £850, but the really critical point is the availability of the HouseHeat PC Connect product, which has the wireless control module, for effectively about £110.

                        The equivalent control for CM-Zone is over £1000!

                        If I hadn't already installed CM-Zone, then I'd be typing my credit card numbers into the HouseHeat website right now!

                        Comment

                        • marcus
                          Automated Home Lurker
                          • Dec 2008
                          • 3

                          #13
                          I was going to order 3 x saver pack 2 kits and a PC connect kit, added to cart and delivery charge shows as £40.74 !!

                          Nothing worse than companies that over charge for delivery.

                          I have emailed them to see if this is a mistake, no way it costs £40.74 to deliver a small box within UK.

                          Mark

                          Comment

                          • toscal
                            Moderator
                            • Oct 2005
                            • 2061

                            #14
                            I can get a 4 camera CCTV system complete with a networked enabled 250Gb DVR shipped to Spain for only 30 pounds from the UK.
                            So I think they are having a tin bath.
                            IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER, YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM.
                            Renovation Spain Blog

                            Comment

                            • marcus
                              Automated Home Lurker
                              • Dec 2008
                              • 3

                              #15
                              I did receive an email back from customer service at housetech after my question to them about high delivery charges.

                              After an exchange of emails delivery prices have been reduced on the site.

                              Still looks a lot as my original order would be £23.90 delivery now rather than original £40.74.

                              I received and email from Ian at housetech and after a few emails offering advice ( as I run an ecommerce site and know all about this delivery charge stuff) there is hope that housetech will have a better way of calculating delivery soon. It is never easy with e-commerce sites to get it 100%.

                              So I might be buying some househeat products very soon

                              Mark

                              Comment

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