Radian

OK then. 🤣 Might give them a ring tomorrow to see if they can give any more info. Some second-hand pool heating variants coming up on Ebay allegedly still working. Obviously not totally unheard of in the UK.

Has anyone come across Dream air to water heatpumps? They have different products in swimming pool and home heating sections. This one's for home. Cheesy website. Pretty obviously Chinese. - Heat Output : 5KW - Heating Power Input : 1.1KW - Voltage/Phase/Frequency : 220-240V/1PH/50HZ - Toshiba Rotary Compressor - Stainless Steel Heat Exchanger - Digital LCD Controller - Refrigerant Type : R410A - Coefficient of Performance (COP) : 4.9 - Water Flow Rate : 0.8 m3/h - Hot Water Supply : 107 L/H - Maximum Hot Water Temperature : 60 ºC - Sound Level : 48 dB(A) - Water Connections : 3/4 inch Spec wise it seems to fit the bill for me to heat a 24m2 UFH loop and possible a single 2.5kW radiator. No mention of inverter. £1200

I would look carefully at the Easterly elevations. The solar gain from these direction coincides with your maximum need for heating after a cold night. This time of year we run our conventially (i.e. poorly) built house in almost passive mode due to solar gain from NE/SE elevations. Our alignment is similar to your plan.

I guess it's Mother's Day. Was your Mother a young girl in WWII by any chance? I have to do something about my Mother's bedroom - her bed is close to a radiator, a non-obvious danger but the worry is that falling in the gap and not being able to get up could be catastrophic. She was school age in WWII and is quite hardy. I do notice however that she doesn't have much time for 'make do and mend' I think that generation had enough of that in the post-war years.

I wish I could remember where I read that microgeneration could supply a solution to the start-up problem. I know that this was the problem for the power network in Texas where they lost a critical amount of generation then couldn't restart quickly enough. IIRC a broadcast synchronisation signal would align the frequency of distributed microgenerators to bring it up by the amount to required. In this case the tail would be constructively used to wag the dog.

From a transformer's POV the current ratings for its primary/secondary windings hold irrespective of the direction of power transfer. If it can supply 25kVA from the grid it can absorb 25kVA into the grid. I wonder why 3.8kVA is used as a typical maximum for a single household?

Clipped from today's power usage. Started baking cakes around 3:30PM then cooking pies in oven around 6 ish. Looks like 2.5kW element in fan oven. Microwave kicked in at around 6:30 for some veggies.

Same issue we have but the carpet we chose can virtually be hosed down if necessary. With bleach even according to the sales blurb. But actually we got some large mats made from 'whipped around' offcuts and these save the rest of the carpet by giving a place to remove outdoor shoes.

There's something you didn't mention and it was a major factor in why we chose a low tog carpet for our garden room with UFH: With the bare screed floor the sound in the room was awful. I found it difficult to hold a conversation because of the reverberation from all the hard surfaces. We were planning to use tiles but ditched that idea in the light of this experience. It was a fairly cheap synthetic carpet but they're very easy to maintain. One thing that was a little experimental is that we didn't use an underlay. It was simply stuck down. Despite what the carpet fitters were saying I'm glad we did. There's more than enough 'give' underfoot and for a room located between tiled kitchen and patio it didn't seem right to have a really spongy floor. Low tog underlays do exist and if this was a lounge it would be a different matter.

Was just thinking about how you could do a 'solar divert' but instead of to DHW, take the freezer down a few extra degrees. Maybe hold off on the temperature a little if forecast shows impending solar in the morning as well. Anything below 15C should be fine although I think prolonged temperatures below -25 can alter the water content in certain foods too much.

How's the temperature of your frozen food?

Planning on building a raised bed using 8 off 1.8m x 0.2m x 0.1m sleepers. Does it make sense to line the inside with heavy gauge plastic sheet? Seems wrong just to fill with compost but plastic against timber will make it sweat.

Or.., similarly, extend the slate roof down to a level that meets the window sill and create a nice sheltered overhang so you form a covered walkway between doors without getting wet when it's raining. IMO the elevation above the garage door looks a bit too deep as it is. As well as when fixing cars, Garages are actually quite good work areas for some outdoor projects when its raining. I often have the doors up to give a little extra shelter underneath the part that sticks outside.

I agree with you except that I view a garage as being outside the envelope of the building. They're frequently populated by dripping wet cars! Also solvent welded ABS rainwater pipes/connections can be made extremely reliably so I just don't see any great risk anyway. Another thought is to form a gulley in the driveway below and let rainwater cascade into it from a central running outlet. Could drop a SS chain down part way to encourage water to behave itself on its way down.

I see it also includes draught excluding strips -- who the ?*!# is going to hire a trade to install those?

This keeps on rearing its ugly head. Perhaps something like the Good Law Project should get involved in investigating the various schemes and their funding.

Since I turned off the UFH in our garden room extension a couple of days ago I really miss the nice cosy feel from the floor. Although we wear footwear in the room, it still had a 'feel' about it that's no longer there. Admittedly it's not an issue when the sun is blasting in like it is now but in the evening, even though it's still around 21 degrees, it just feels like something's missing. 😞

What I was thinking is that there may be some flexibility for self-builders who contract out certain elements of their builds. A good relationship with a builder might lead to some sort of arrangement that is of some financial benefit to both parties. I'm trying (and failing) to get my head around the reason for the materials themselves not to be tempoarily zero rated like children's clothes, books and newspapers.

Does seem daft. If the old 60% rule no longer applies then might not a builder be contracted to supply the materials for a DIY install and charge a nominal sum for 'installation'?

The dormers and garage door are neatly set out with a strong symmetry. Everything that can be done to preserve it would help. The 'island' gutter can be rearranged to put the downpipe connection in the centre. I think this along with a shallower fall to the right would look less jarring even though it adds a bit to the length of pipe. Ideally though, I would explore the ideas already put forward to hide the crosslink inside the garage. So drop down from the middle of the island, far enough to enter the garage then cross to the righthand downpipe or another drainage point.

RIBA have a summary of changes

There's a potential issue with DHW at this lower temperature. The cylinder stat should be set around this figure (for anti legionella) and the boiler might just run constantly while trying to reach it.

According to www.gov.uk subject to eligibility, batteries with solar installation should attract reduced VAT, i.e. zero now - I also think some of the other conditions are being relaxed but details are scarce at the moment.

I had hoped VAT might be reduced on insulation... But now Rishi Sunak says homeowners will not have to pay VAT on solar panels, insulation and heat pumps for the next five years. https://www.standard.co.uk/homesandproperty/property-news/spring-statement-2022-rishi-sunak-energy-saving-vat-cut-b989964.html

Breaking news! Spring statement 2022: Rishi Sunak abolishes VAT on energy saving materials for homeowners. Homeowners will not pay VAT on solar panels, insulation and heat pumps for the next five years.