mike2016

It's something you put into the gutter that keeps leaves and large debris out. Google "Hedgehog Gutter Brush" and you'll see it (not sure about linking to sites / copyright piccys). Hopefully means I won't have to keep climbing up a ladder to tug clumps of grass/moss out....

Hi, I was hoping to use Galvanized Steel gutters in my build but what are people's experience of them? Do they split and rust within a year or two? Is Aluminum Better, I heard you can't put a ladder up against it? I'm looking for ease of maintenance (plan to stick a hedgehog in them), that they are long lasting & keep me away from uPVC. I'm not near the coast (marine/salt areas). Any experiences / advice? Thanks!

Just came across this technology where they store energy in the form of ice to cool in the summer and turn it back into ice to warm in the winter. 10 meters cubed! http://www.viessmann.co.uk/en/residential-buildings/heat-pumps/ice-energy-store/ice-store-system.html Anyone have experience of this system or heard anything about it? I wonder if the phase change lasts the whole season? They see it as an alternative to geothermal.... Just when you think you've seen everything....!! "......you want ice...you got ice....!!"

Lucky Escape warby! I was coming home one Sunday morning and the whole main street of the town I was living in was covered in smoke, I was shocked when I got to my driveway that it was my family home (I was a teen at the time) causing it! The chimney had gone on fire! At least that's one element I don't have to worry in my proposed new build, although I wonder if wood burning stoves could have similar issues? I had a washing machine go on fire more recently, so while I was thinking of locating mine under the stairs this makes me more wary as it could block the easiest egress point. Good case for positioning the trampoline outside the back window!!

I'm interested in this also, If you're integrating home automation you can link the smoke alarms with the power to the MHVR or separately cut off power to MHVR when the indoor temperature reaches a critical point. The indoor air pressure will increase initially and oxygen levels drop in an airtight house. The pressure increase makes inward opening doors and windows a barrier to exiting as experienced 3 years ago in a German Apartment fire. You should aim as already said to make early detection a priority, smoke detectors in every room and consider a water mist system to cool the ignition point and buy you more time to evacuate. There are good articles online that discuss fire in airtight houses in more detail. Note: Reversing the MVHR flow is risky as one report stated it can lead to the pollution of the other rooms in the house. For people with disabilities, there are smoke detection systems that trigger wrist worn vibration alerts and also a pillow shaker that goes under a pillow for nighttime alerting. Ideally I would program my home automation to cut power to everything except any fire suppression system & all lighting leading to escape routes. I'll ensure the rear door and all windows are outwards opening also, except for the front door as the postman will be annoyed if I keep breaking his nose.....!! I don't know if I'll manage to get all of the above in my house - I hope I never encounter the need to use it!

Hi, Is anyone doing rainwater harvesting and what has your experience been over a few years of using such a system? I'm interested in choosing one for a new build and using it in my toilets and washing machine (less so the garden). I understand in the absence of water charges (Direct charges are currently suspended in ROI), there is no economic payback but I still feel it's the right thing to do. I would be very interested in any good or bad experiences in having such a system in place and have you found it useful or not? Does it over complicate the plumbing, are there issues with the underground tank, smells from the water in the cistern/header tank etc. Is it something you would do again and does it meet your expectations? I think the benefits may be marginal at best (especially when occupancy is just 1 person!) but there may be angles I hadn't considered. Thanks!

Hi, One of the nice to have items in the house I'm hoping to build is some level of automation. I've been looking at KNX and grasp the theory but I don't have an electrical background. Online forums I've found are all in German and there doesn't appear to be a local user group that could assist with basic questions. I have found a very knowledgeable professional but they are looking for low 5 figures to implement. Has anyone done KNX here and is it difficult? Should I buy a few devices and get to grips with it myself or would it be easier & cheaper in the long run to let the Professionals in and do it, budget allowing? Main goals (Wish List): Lighting Controls (I don't need dimming), some using switches, some with presence detection (toilets etc) Security integration with CCTV (Driving POE IP Cameras with PIRs), Smoke CO2 detection etc (ability to cut MHRV in the event of a fire) Audio - to warn off trespassers in the back garden, provide internal alerts etc MHRV / ASHP integration with temperature sensors Data logging for Solar PV, air quality, temperature etc Understanding of the wiring involved to answer questions an electrician will undoubtedly ask Visualization on a tablet / smartphone & remote access nice to have but not a requirement Any advice? Thanks!

I'd heard about the impact in ground temperature in that it takes 4 years to stabilize but hadn't heard about air temperature being affected! With a large pipe field I guess this is the impact it can have. I'd be tempted to drill an angular borehole under my favourite neighbours house and drop their temperature a bit! Be useful around Halloween too....

That's probably the best option behind door number 1 alright....!! I can take care of part L another way....I wonder if we'll see any interruption in the gas supply down the road but you can't plan for everything!

Thanks for all the info provided. I have mains gas so this is also an option, I just have to meet Part L but this can be covered elsewhere. I like the idea of diversifying my energy sources a bit so will be taking all this into account. Cheers.

Hi, I was over talking to a company that I plan to use to do my MHRV, DHW, underfloor Heating and Part L obligations for a new self build. I have been angling away from the need for a hot water cylinder as there's only me in a 2 bedroom house, with the possibility of a second person the odd time (as a guest or to help pay the mortgage). I've been reading the forums a lot this year and one valued contributor mentioned the excessive heat caused by their hot water cylinder which I found concerning. I was strongly thinking of a Sunamp PV and this is what the same person installed to good effect, plus it's smaller. I'm planning a relatively small house (75m2) so space is at a premium and any unbalancing of heat in the house could make things uncomfortable in a larger proportion of the house. The system suggested was a tank in tank system - the main tank is charged by an ASHP with a pressurized hot water cylinder inside the main one. I think the main tank water can be used in the ASHP defrost cycle and to speed heat recovery of the inner hot water cylinder. One way to control the standing losses might be the use of vacuum insulated panels. They are used in the Sunamp PV for this purpose, but are flat and easier to fit I would imagine. Can they be retrofitted to a hot water tank or do you have to buy a specific tank with them installed? I only found one or two examples of them being mentioned online, most were just academic papers. I'm keen to avoid overheating and standing losses from such a system, but perhaps the sunamp would be a better fit for me. I'd only be using 45-50 litres of hot water a day but with visitors etc would need to size larger. Any thoughts / advice? Thanks!

Thanks! Interesting the suggestion to "Go Large" on ASHP's! I'll have to look closely at the manufacturer specifications. I've just installed an energy meter in my current house and plan to extend this in my new build to get more granular readings, especially the ASHP. I was talking to one company yesterday about several Heating/hot water options, now just need the BER file to send over to them to see what they suggest.

I was reading about pumping brine filled pipes to heat the ASHP but sitting back it appears to be a lot of work for a small benefit. I'm meeting with a company tomorrow about their products, once of which is ASHP's and will be interested in their experience using their models in the Irish Climate. Maybe with all this global warming we'll not get below 6 degree much anymore anyhow?!! That or I'll position a dyson hair dryer in front of the ASHP fans......! Just curious - what is the cost multiplier of GSHP over ASHP? Is it more than 2x?

That certainly puts it all in perspective! You must link me to the horror story you mentioned, sounds like a fun read!

Thanks! Getting to grips with the reality of ASHP's a bit better now! Just on the issue of defrost cycles - I was speaking with a supplier at the weekend about a particular MHVR system for which they can provide a geothermal heat exchanger for it, basically a 30-40 meter silver lined underground pipe to heat the incoming air. It's not cheap at a few thousand pounds but I was wondering if there are similar solutions for ASHP or are they overkill? It would be great to have this to supply air to both the MHVR and the ASHP to prevent any defrosting cycles entirely? Anyone any comments on this or a better way to tackle the defrosting issue?

Very interesting comments & advice in particular that cool & wet is more of an issue than the outside temperature, and the need to avoid the defrost cycle, both of which affect the COP. Just two things I'm not clear on: What does "UVC" stand for in this context? I'm sure it's not "Ultra Velcro Chamber"...(!) Does staging water pre heated to 40-50 degrees not give you a legionella risk?

Thanks Dave! I was sure someone had thought of it. Getting the underfloor heating temperature seems easy enough but going up to 60 degree appears to be much harder with an ASHP. I was at the Bicester Self Build live event and had a good chat with Andy from Sunamp - so was looking at alternate heat sources for underfloor and hot water. Cheers, Mike

Hi, Just had one of those crazy ideas you get once in a while! You know the COP of an ASHP is poorer in winter and even more so when you ask it to heat water to 55/60 degrees, this reduces the COP rather badly. So....what if you put the water through the ASHP twice (heat it up in stages) or bought two and placed them in series, would that be more efficient? Use the first to heat the cold water up from say 10 degrees to 30 and then the second from 30 to 55/60? If you get a COP of say 3.0 in those cases vs a COP of say 1.0 for a single ASHP? Would that hold true? I'm sure it's not that simple but was just curious? I doubt you get anything for free but if you stay within the best performance levels / COP would it reduce the electricity demand? If anyone can enlighten me?! Cheers Mike