Gone West

Disappointing? In my view it was the worst, most misleading programme about making houses more energy efficient that I've seen.

I started to watch this program, on ITV, last night. I stopped watching it soon after starting when they stated that UFH was more efficient than radiators and was a way of turning your home into an 'eco home'. The program was so full of misinformation, it was certainly the worst program I have watched on the subject and made me really annoyed. Needless to say I won't be watching again. Glad that's off my chest.

That's what we did with the MVHR extract 1.5m away from the recirculaing cooker hood.

No it wouldn't triple it but I was surprised when I ran PHPP for my last house how much difference it makes, everything else being equal. 9kWh/m2a @ 18C 13kWh/m2a @ 20C 21kWh/m2a @ 23C

But doesn't there have to be a standard for the indoor temperature otherwise the comparisons are meaningless. Running a house at 18C downstairs and 16C upstairs is always going to look better than 23C throughout the house.

@zoothorn If it were me I would just have it fitted and then use Nick's guarantee if needed.

All this meter fitting thing is weird. I'm being hounded all the time by SSE to have my existing meter changed to a SMART meter. Emails, phone calls telling me an engineer will be coming round on Monday unless I cancel it. So I cancel it online and then get asked when do I want it fitted. I told them that under no circumstances would I have my meter changed. Then it all starts again.

When we sold our last house, which was an A95 the estate agent said he hadn't sold a house with an A EPC before. I used the Government endorsed Simple Energy Advice site for our current house which is an old stone walled bungalow. It came up with fit PVs and use LED lightbulbs and that was it. Well we have a 4kWp PV system and are changing the lightbulbs so according to them we can't improve our house. No mention of EWI or IWI or changing the heating from oil to HP. https://www.simpleenergyadvice.org.uk/energy-efficiency/reduce-bills

Ours was six weeks at this time of year between fitting the first floor and the roof being water tight. We used Caberdek and had the joins taped and we didn't have any problems although water pooled on the floor and I swept if off when required.

I agree that it doesn't matter whether the energy comes from electricity, gas or oil but I think it's more complicated than that. IMHO it is the temperature of the water that is important and the differential between the air and water temperature. In a well insulated house the differential can be low with very little convection and the environment feels comfortable. In my current house I don't believe that even with a very large surface area of radiators at 45C the house would feel comfortable. I'm not going to spend thousands experimenting, I'll just insulate as much as I can to reduce the oil consumption.

You have now, as we have always run our CH 24/7 whatever fuel was being used. I tend to agree and would never swap my oil boiler for an ASHP because with 650mm thick stone walls I would never feel comfortable. I looked at the Vaillant website and couldn't find an Arotherm3 so guess that the 3 refers to the third most powerful in the series which if IIRC is 11kW.

Is that solar thermal or PV. We had a 180l UVC heated with an EASHP which was heated to 45C with a backup immersion. We never used the immersion and never ran out of hot water and that was for just two adults.

We fitted all AEG appliances, including a 700mm induction hob, with the exception of a Miele dishwasher and washing machine. All were working fine for three years up to when we moved.

At our last house we had a granite worktop and used G clips to to hold a composite undermount sink. No bonding required. https://www.gclip.co.uk/Home.html

You could use fan assisted radiators so they needn't be so large. https://www.myson.co.uk/products/iVector_MKII.htm https://jaga.co.uk/heating/

I fitted a 125mm serial rather than manifold ducting system in my last house using rigid uPVC. Fitting attenuators reduces 'cross- talk'. The ducting fitted snuggly through 250mm metal web joists. It does mean the joists have to line up accurately though.

https://www.theenergyshop.com/guides/which-energy-suppliers-have-gone-bust https://www.theenergyshop.com/energy-suppliers

We have had twenty five trees cut down since we moved in four months ago. They ranged from 600mm down to 150mm diameter and I drilled 22mm diameter holes, around 70mm deep in the stumps and filled them with SBK. The only ones requiring more treatment have been Ash and Beech. For a slow but sure kill bang copper tube into the hole.

I'm sorry I don't still have the costings from my research. IIRC I contacted Rehau and they gave me the name of a design company who gave me the info I needed.

I looked at this around twelve years ago when I was designing my PH and decided it wasn't worth the cost and effort. https://www.rehau.com/uk-en/ground-heat-exchanger

Have a look at permitted development rules and then maybe you can forget about the LA Planning process.

@zoothorn I gather from what you've mentioned in the past that some of the folks around you are less than friendly. I don't know if you are aware that you can get anti-lift locks for those types of gates. We fitted them on ours at our last house, because the local farmer said he had 'lost' some gates that way. https://www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk/product/sc_271200bm/anti-lift-device-for-timber-field-gates-inc.-padlock-galvanized-v

They look great, where did you get them from, if you don't mind me asking.

Well done, that looks very smart.

Good luck, hope it all works out for you.