Beau

I looked at extending our PV with the Cornish Rocker system. I realised how little was to be gained from the tilting but key clamp seemed to be the way to go for fixed or tilting. Our old ground mount is just on a treated wooden frame

I've messed about with making sound dampening enclosures in the past but inside The usual 3 options Containment. Clearly not a great option for the heat pump Absorption. In the case of my project this required acoustic rockwool which is much denser. Again not easy in that space Diffraction. This is breaking up the sound waves. The ivy on that hedge is probably doing that pretty well plus probably some absorption. Could you grow a creeper up the wall of the outside shed and fence?

Lower is still better. We have a GSHP in an open plan barn here and the flow temp in the UFH does not need to get above 30C to keep the place warm in all but exceptional conditions. What are the mixer valves doing? It's a terrible waste to have the heat pump make overly hot water to then have it mixed with cold. Just lower the flow temp and not have it mixed if thats an option As other have said WC is an absolute must for good efficiency. Both our systems use it and keep the places at very consistent temps with no influence from internal thermostats.

This is what jumps out at me. By not using the rads the UFH has more work to do so the flow temp through it has to be higher lowering your COP. The most efficient systems I read about have everything open so lots of water running at low temp to heat the place. Oh and welcome to the forum 🙂

Having only had wooden windows in the past and just got some PVC I would now choose PVC. I am sick of the maintenance wood requires. If budget was endless then wood as I could just replace them as and when they rot out. Ali clad wood sounds nice but just so expensive. A friend went for expensive Ali windows and was assured they wouldn't get condensate on them but unsurprisingly they do.

I always dilute the mist coat nearer 50/50 as recommend by an experienced builder friend as the plaster takes it in better. Did our first place near 20 years ago and no peeling of the paint to date

PWS readings. Outside RH 94% 0.8C Got a couple of monitors that read the same when in the same room. Kitchen 20C 47%RH Utility 18C 35%RH

Not really a stove but it does burn logs. My home made charcoal retort with the lid up. Had one of these up to 900C which was a tad exciting!

I saw this firm https://www.cornishmasonrystoves.com/about-us selling custom masonry stoves at the Royal Cornwall show a few years back.

I'm also a fan of the PU glues after discovering them during a boat build. I always used Balcotan but sadly thats no longer available. The closest I've got to it is this https://www.tcfixings.co.uk/product/soudal-pro-40p-15-min-pu-d4-wood-glue-750gm/2752. They do a faster and slower setting versions depending on your needs. Worth saying that even though it expands into gaps it's not very strong when gap filling. PVA is a good glue type and easy to clean off with warm water but I like the lack of 'grab' you get with PUs giving you more time to get complicated pieces together. For ultimate strength you cant really beat an Epoxy like West System but it's expensive stuff. I'm racking my brain as to what glue I used on our stairs that have remained silent over the years. If it comes back to me I will share

We've recently had an Arotherm installed. It's a very straightforward system and the only circulation pump is the one in the heat pump. I did't get very involved but there is a pressure release valve and as you say an expansion vessel. All boxed in now so cant take pictures to help more.

We farm and have a loader. No official training and lorries never ask me about qualifications when I'm unloading deliveries. With farming you get to use equipment a lot so you do get good with the kit which may be harder if your only using the equipment occasionally

Thats a very good brine temp. If your heating flow temps are low I would have thought a COP of 6 is within reach.

I would expect the membrane to be watertight in its own right and the tiles to do the same so you have two levels of protection Many years back our old place didn't have any felt or membrane. We had a blizzard of very powdery snow and we had proper drifts in the loft as it blew in under the the slates. I was only young but remember moving the snow out of the loft into the bath before it brought the ceiling down or melted

Some of the tanking paints also come with a roll of mesh tape. I would fill the hole with a low expanding foam, cut flush, mesh tape and then apply the tanking paint. I'm only a DIYer so take this advise with a pinch of salt haha

Might have a good idea for you? https://viking-house.co.uk/passive-slab-insulated-foundations.html

I've battened out over old wobbly stone walls a few times. I use 25mmx50mm battens fixed back to the wall with adjustable screws like this. Even though the battens are thin I've had no problems with movement. https://www.efixings.com/adjustable-screws-tx-flat-countersunk-zinc/ You can quickly create a fair wall without any complicated packing out. I will leave advise on insulation and vapour barriers to others

I've just sorted a ceiling that had exactly this kind of extra support in it. It was on an area that the ends of ceiling joists had rotted out so to stop it sagging they installed a binder and a struts to the rafters. Ive been able to replace the rotten timbers but my first plan was to double up the binder and get it supported both ends and do away with the hanging strut. The latter might be an option for you?

I chased some channels into our lime walls for a new heating system recently. Be prepared for an astonishing amount of fine dust! I mean it was horrendous and moved around the house like smoke. The second time I made mini polly tunnel for me to work in, all taped to the walls/floor. Much better for the house but couldn't see what I was doing within seconds of starting haha

Yes I'm sure its not that efficient but clearly not shocking either. Claimed efficiency is up to 90%. Suspect the 70 second interval didn't allow the temp probe enough time to fully register the changing temps. I'm sure it's not heating the room as it only uses 6watts so most likely just variation between the two thermometers. It's a BSK Zepher and until today I would be singing its praises but just this afternoon it died! Only a few months old so will be under warrantee but a bit disappointing none the less. Until a month ago the house had no central heating so 18C is luxury 🙂

According to a different thermometer in that room at the time 16.6C. Generally got the rest of the house around 18C but no rad in that room yet.

Sounds like you are after a proper MVHR but I ran a little test on our decentralised MVHR to see how good it was and was pleasantly surprised. It's one of those that runs out for 70seconds charging a cartridge with the exiting heat and then runs back in supposedly returning the heat in the cartridge. I waited for a cold day to do the test and expected to see larger fluctuations in temp from it running in and out. We run the house coolish as you can see but it was 0.5C outside at the time. Had a temp probe set up just by the in/out vent

I have no idea what's required to comply but as others have said a compete break will hopefully do the trick. Our private supply has a DAB Easy Tank as we lack presure due to lack of head from the spring. The Easy tank is fed with a float valve from the spring. Might it be possible to have a similar system with a second float valve from the mains for when you need it?

Thats how our old GSHP works

We have just had a heating system installed from scratch. I was keen on UFH to go with the ASHP but the installers were very clear that if we couldn't fit significant levels of insulation underneath the UFH dont do it. As has been already said it can be made to work but will be inefficient due to heat loss through the floors. We went with rads