Gone West

We had an old timber frame, timber clad bungalow, 100mm cavity, filled with blown mineral fibre. It made a huge difference to our oil usage, reducing it by 30% to 40%. We lived in it while building our self build in the garden. It took us eight years to build the house, although the plan was only two or three years. You never know how things will turn out, so I would install the insulation, as cheaply as possible, and be more comfortable while living there.

Many years ago I had our semi-detached house repointed to match the original and using yellow sand and white cement we ended up with a creamy colour. In the picture, to the right of the downpipe, the neighbours was repointed using grey cement.

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I don't really know. I just looked at reviews and prices for the specifications given and came up with that one. It seemed the best for what I wanted. I have since found out that not every wireless device will work with a mesh system and unfortunately my weather station can't connect. Everything else I have works with no problem so I will have to change over to a Powerline wireless system to get the weather station to send data to the PC. I have it but it's on my long list of to do's.

Years ago a neighbouring bungalow had the same effect on the gable. It was because the gable was built a few weeks later than the walls by a different team of brickies and the mortar mix was different. It never changed colour over time.

We also have a TP Link Deco system which is an M4 AC1200 with three units. It's in an small, 130m2, old stone bungalow. It's been going for eighteen months without any problems.

We really like the look of your extension and especially the roof. Would you mind sharing how the roof has been constructed, was it a cold or warm roof etc. How did you find the Sarnafil SPM and did you do any of the work yourself.

No, our system used the EASHP to use the heat recovered from the MVHR. There are standalone DHW cylinders that utilise a dedicated air to water heat pump to provide hot water. https://www.vaillant.co.uk/for-installers/products/arostor-domestic-hot-water-heat-pump-58880.html

We had a double glazed porch 3m x 1.5m which we used for solar gain. It faced ESE and proved very useful in the spring and autumn as we simply opened the hall door and had free heat. In the summer we used reflective blinds in the porch which we kept closed all the time.

We had very low U values in our PH. We heated the DHW with an EASHP which was built into the MVHR system so also provided warm air through the ventilation. The house was heated with three towel rails in the bathrooms. I designed the house so no conventional central heating system was required. We ran the whole house at 23C 24/7.

I bought a Testo 405i and made a cone. https://www.test-meter.co.uk/testo-405i-bluetooth-thermal-anemometer These are the results. I just made a table.

I have twice successfully challenged a Valuation Office banding. The first time I was prepared to go to appeal and then received a letter, few days before the appeal date, agreeing my banding request. The second time I wanted a banding two below their decision, and we compromised on one below.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2022/10/25/google-shares-drop-youtube-suffers-first-ever-fall-advertising/

Every day, but not a large volume, hence would 250l TS be enough with ST and PV? Yes, at the moment, with a small vented cylinder, we're ok from around April to September. Don't know what the effect of going from 140l to 250l would be on the amount of oil used in the Spring and Autumn.

We don't use a lot of DHW so if we had a 250l TS with solar coil, two immersions and a high recovery DHW coil you don't think we would use too much oil, heating the DHW outside of the winter. Would it be best to have a direct or indirect TS for the CH?

Our car can be driven by any numpty, hence why I've got it, it won't even let you hit anything when parking, it just stops. I don't like some of the fancy gubbins though. Driving tests will have to change some more, as they have over the years. When I took mine I had to show I knew hand signals.

It's all relative, what do you call expensive for a new car. PS My 2007 Honda Civic had traction control.

Thanks Nick. I had considered a thermal store first but thought I would use more oil heating it in the spring and autumn. Do you know what sort of temperature I would have to keep the TS at in order to get hot water out at 45C?

Our car and most modern cards have traction control so wheel spin is unlikely.

Bear with me because I haven't read all six pages. The obvious answer to me is to add "4." to the options, which would be to trade your old car for a modern car that doesn't have a conventional handbrake, just a button, and has automatic hill start. That must be easier than redesigning your front garden and changing it all when it seems you are happy with the look of it and you spent so much achieving that look.

I can't find any information on Domino tanks, is that a manufacturer?

We already had PV and solar thermal fitted when we moved in, but our existing vented tank is only 140l and we were going to fit a larger UVC.

@JohnMo & @PeterW Ok thanks. So I have to have fitted the largest coil that can be squeezed in along with the solar coil and two immersions and accept limited condensing. I guess I'll have to fit a larger UVC than I originally intended then. So there's no advantage to restricting the flow through the coil then?

Calling plumbing gurus, @Nickfromwales, @PeterW, @pocster? How do I plumb a UVC heated by a condensing oil boiler to ensure it condenses when heating DHW. I understand that with a flow temperature of say 60C and a temperature drop of 20C through the radiators it should be in condensing mode for space heating. When heating DHW the UVC coil presumably won't be able to extract enough heat to provide a 20C temperature drop so do I have to restrict the flow through the coil? If so what is the best way to do it and set it up for condensing.

That's exactly what we did, great minds and all that.