Jenni

Hi, that would be pretty easy to do, but I thought the layer had to be on the warm side of the insulation? Iirc, to do with where condensation forms.

That's good info, thank you.

Hello. I had rather optimistically hoped to have heating connected before the weather turned, but that hasn't happened. So to remove risk of freezing, and worrying, I think it would be a good idea to get the water out of my ufh pipes. Can anyone advise how to do this please? Pipes are connected to a manifold, I have access to workshop air compressor but don't want to damage anything by just blowing air down without knowing a bit more. Thank you.

I'm going through exactly this at the moment. Architect and BC both said to get advice from the company that will be doing the test. I've contacted half a dozen companies, some want to see drawings before quoting. 3 companies gave ballpark costs - all roughly same for the actual testing (just shy of £400+vat). Massive variety of advice cost though - from £80 to £700 depending on how much they hold your hand.

So no need for rolls of VCL then? I kinda had in my head that a designated layer would be better than taping joints, maybe easier to ensure good airtightness? Thank you.

Hello. I'm converting a barn, single storey, warm loft / vaulted ceilings. I'm not aiming for a super-efficient house, nothing near passiv. But I do want it to be suitable for MVHR. My regs document states - "Between each rafter 30mm cavity with 70mm Celotex FR 5000 insulation, 60mm FR 5000 under rafter with joints taped to form VCL and air leakage barrier. 25mm barrier using 25mm x47mm battens and 12.5mm Gyproc wallboard. Design to achieve 0.16w/m2k." My question is - does taping the joins of the insulation make a good enough / reliable VCL? If not, I'd welcome some recommendations for what to use instead please.

Hi, I love this idea. What would you suggest using to insulate please?

I seem to get a lot of sm adverts for this one - https://www.qettle.com/

Our Roku remote stopped working, so now just operate it via the phone app, works perfectly.

I started by siting the manifold, then laid pipes to/from manifold, stapled to the insulation. Metal deckchairs positioned, then mesh laid over with holes cut to go over manifold. Extra plastic chairs added where necessary. Also had 2 layers of mesh in places, so last job was separating with little concrete blocks. I had some industrial cling film type stuff that I wrapped the manifold in while the concrete was poured. And our barn was already watertight before concrete poured.

I made a couple of inverted T metal legs, added a board and pinned it to the insulation. Elbows on the pipe too. When it comes to building the wall I'll cut the legs off flush with the floor, they're positioned to be hidden/under the wall.

My builder has said he won't be using that joiner again, he's apparently lost a lot of money trying to rectify issues in other builds as well. Our 'permission' was via permitted development, our architect specified wooden windows, we were under the impression that's just what we had to have. TBH we probably wouldnt have gone with uPVC anyway, personal thing. But I would have investigated Ali' / Aluclad if I thought it was allowed. Live and learn / next time. I'm told the doors/glazing was fitted with 'toeing and heeling' method. The metal straps are slide bolts, I was advised to have them to stop twisting, I specified those flush ones but wasnt advised they'd cause any issues. Hmm, I don't know for sure, but I think after installation. The video is of a window (sorry I should have been clearer) I think the water is coming in here - Ok, now I know more, thank you. Yes, will be saving up for aluminium replacements, one day it will get better, until then these will have to be good enough. The 2 outward opening doors were painted on top/bottom/sides (just not the inside face). of those 2, 1 has dropped/jams, the other is ok.

I don't know what timber it is, I might be able to find out next week.

Yes, exactly that. Would painting inside have prevented that from happening?

@nod Yes I suspect lack of seasoning is the ultimate issue here. Is it not common practice for softwood to be seasoned anymore? Especially for joinery. Rather disappointing. @Onoff Yes custom made in softwood. Upvc wasn't an option. But I'm now resigned to making do with these wooden ones now, and saving up so in a few years (hmm, maybe 5-10) when I can afford it, replacing with Ali or aluclad.

See if this works, video upload, sorry not for great filming. MOV_2260.mp4

@oranjeboom I don't know what type of softwood it is. Yes pic 1 is a door, I have 2 doors like this that weap water when it rains 'at them', there are rubber seals on the frames on 3 sides, and what seems to be a hard plastic nib on the step for the door to close onto at the bottom. The windows arrived in January, I painted them in a different building (heated enough to match requirements of the paint). They were fitted to the barn in March. Pics taken after heavy rain in August. Concrete was poured 9th September. @Onoff Yes that's the front door. Thanks for your explanation, I should've got on with sealing the insides, hindsight eh. But would that drying out effect cause doors to drop on their hinges? The part of the windows that's leaking is secured with screws into the frame, the sashes aren't leaking, I would've thought that the effects of twisting/warping would have been greater on a sash than a fixed panel? But this doesn't appear to be the case. Not sure how to upload a short video that shows how to windows are leaking.

Hello. I have softwood windows and doors that were supplied by my builder (he commissioned them from a local joiner). I painted the outsides before they were fitted, but not the insides. The problem is the windows are leaking and doors dropping on their hinges (and leaking a bit). My builder is coming back for snagging soon but has mentioned that as not painted on the inside, can't expect the wood not to have twisted. I may be wrong about his intentions, but sounds a bit like the 'blame' (and therefore cost to fix) will be laid at my feet. We have softwood windows in current house that haven't been painted in decades (never were, are still bare wood) but no leaking on those, ever. The bit of window that is leaking isn't the opening sash, but a lower fixed/dummy sash that was screwed into the frame before the glass was fitted. Can a lack of internal paint cause doors to drop on their hinges? (1 door just scuffing bottom so it's stiff. The other so bad it virtually won't shut now) Some pics attached.

Maybe this company can help - https://www.hamsterbaskets.co.uk/products/bespoke-products/ Their tag line is "If it's wire and you can sketch it, we can make it"

I have no experience of the solar ones but the wiring for Integra is simply a 3 pin plug at one end and smaller pre-wired plug the window end, with very long cable inbetween. So no need for an electrician, just routing the wire under the plasterboard. IIRC if you want electric blinds on the solar ones then you end up with 2 remote controls. With Integra it's all on 1 remote.

Whitewash? https://homeguides.sfgate.com/whitewash-windows-20607.html

I read about Bathomatic a while ago, website seems to be partially not working now tho, so maybe not available anymore. Does everything you list, inc bubble bath, also iirc option for recirculating the water thro heating element so water doesn't go cold while you go wrinkly! http://www.uniqueautomation.co.uk/

? I do have a bit of a habit of wanting to 'over engineering' things!

Yes, thanks @Bitpipe, that's in my mind too, the loop junction can be less than 3m from the tap, rather than the 15m from the tank. Still need to figure out some kind of notification that the hot has arrived at that junction though.

Hi, also tagging onto this thread as it seems like a relevant place. In attached pic of UFH pipes just installed, my ASHP is going to the left of the glass door. Current plan is to run flow and return in a void in the corridor ceiling (approx red route, but higher.) the 'bay' this end of the photo is lofted (warm), other 2 'bays' are vaulted. But this thread has made me wonder about running the flow and return within the 150mm concrete slab, in ducts directly above the UFH pipes, which will then be under reinforcing mesh. Following the red line approx. I can see several advantages - - warmth from UFH pipes beneficial to ASHP? - ducts above congested UFH pipes mean less warm spots on floor. - ASHP pipes get to where they need to be without getting in way of anything else. Disadvantages - - slab depth reduced on route of duct. - tricky to penetrate wall with ducts and maintain DPM? Any thoughts would be very welcome.