Warm as Toast

Well, we have delayed lighting the fire in the lounge for as long as we could, but the zero temperatures this last weekend and little better for yesterday and today have got the better of us.
We simply needed some warmth about the place. We do have the theoretical comfort of central heating, and similarly we had tried to keep that on summer settings for as long as possible, but even now that is not the complete answer.
We do have this recently fitted computerised thermostat which the blurb promised us could do all sorts of magical things in helping us control our heating, and theoretically at least, consequently our heating bills as well.
Only problem is while we are as warm a toast upstairs, downstairs it’s been freezing these last few days.  All the radiators upstairs heat up magnificently, so much so that we have needed to turn them off.  Downstairs . . . it’s almost as cold as it is outside. The central heating just isn’t working downstairs. 
I don’t pretend to understand the complexities of central heating systems but I’ve followed all the advice about bleeding the radiators, systematically turning them off and trying to force the heat downstairs, even checking the pump which to my ear seems to be whirring away and working.

But to no avail . . . so the fireplace provided a welcome respite until we can get a central heating expert in.   
But I suspect that’s another problem — it took us ten years or more to find a plumber to replace a couple of dripping taps!